Afro Samurai: Vengeance
by moviefan-92
Summary: Post anime and movie. Many years have passed since Afro regained the No.1 title. Now finally he has a challenger. Little Kotaro has come to get revenge, and he isn't the only one. Brother 7 of the Empty Seven Clan has come for the No.1 headband, and he's brought his own warriors seeking their own revenge. Will Afro's past finally catch up with him? Bad summary. COMPLETE
1. Chapter 1: Brother 7

**(A/N: Ok, the next story I've begun is an **_**Afro Samurai**_**. It's a really good anime that I felt never got the recognition it deserved. For those of you that haven't seen it, you really should. It's only 5 episodes and a movie, so it goes by fast. Anyway, this story takes place many years after **_**Afro Samurai: Resurrection**_**, so if you've seen the series but haven't seen the movie, I suggest you do, otherwise you'll be confused at certain parts. This story is rated_ 'T'_ for now, but that might change later. If anyone thinks it needs a higher rating, please tell me.)**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

**"AFRO SAMURAI: VENGEANCE****"**

**Chapter 1: Brother 7**

Brother 3 sighed as he made his way through the small villa hidden on the mountainside. Behind him, several ninjas clad in black followed him. One of them pushed a stretcher that held the paralyzed Brother 1; a result of losing the last fight he was in several years ago. He was actually very lucky to be alive. Brothers 2, 4, 5, and 6 were all killed in the battle. The only reason why Brother 3 managed to get through unscathed was because he hadn't participated in the fight.

How had things come to this? Everything had been going so well, but all their planning went to hell. The Empty Seven Clan should be ruling this world by now, but one man had ruined all their plans.

Of course, the name Empty Seven suggested that there should be seven brothers. And there were. Brother 7 had been absent from the clan for… certain reasons. But now Brother 1 and 3 needed his assistance.

Brother 3's fists clenched angrily. If it hadn't been for that damn Dream Reading bitch that betrayed them out of love for that damned samurai, they would be ruling already. Why couldn't she have just kill him once she obtained the data of his fighting skills like she was supposed to?

The stupid whore. If she weren't already dead, killed by Brother 2, he'd kill her himself. At the very least, she, indirectly, was providing them with the means to finish what they started all these years later. Soon the Number One headband would belong to them, as it should have been then. And with it would come a power akin to that of God, or so the legend went. But before the Number One headband could be obtained, they first had to get their hands on the Number Two headband.

The legendary Number One and Number Two headbands, two ancient pieces of cloth, representing the two greatest warriors alive. No one knew where they came from, but they had been around for a long, long time. Whoever held the Number One headband was said to gain immortality and godhood. It could be obtained by someone else if they managed to defeat the current Number One. However, only the one who held the Number Two headband could challenge the Number One and win.

No one knew how or why, perhaps by some divine will, but anyone who fought the Number One without the Number Two headband was doomed to fail. Be it by bad luck, a mistake in battle, or some other reason, they would always lose. The only possible way they could win would be if the Number One actually let them, which, of course, never happened. And whenever someone became the Number One, the Number Two headband always found a new owner since, for some reason, it was impossible for a person to keep both the Number One and the Number Two headband. Perhaps it was once again by divine will.

So it was the wielder of the Number Two that always faced hardships. While only they could face Number One, _anyone_ could face Number Two. It resulted in a great deal of bloodshed over the years, that is, until the Number Two headband disappeared years ago.

Now it had finally reappeared, and it would be the Empty Seven, or what was left of it, that would take it. For that, Brother 1 and Brother 3 needed Brother 7.

Coming to the end of the hall, the doors opened for them into a dimly lit room. Beautiful half naked woman danced erotically on the dance floor. Sitting on a large cushion, an old man watched them in the shadows with lustful eyes, yet he made no move towards them, no matter how much he wanted to. For now anyway.

As the group of visitors made their way over to him, a chuckle escaped the old man. "It's been a long time, hasn't it, Brother 1, Brother 3."

Removing his earphones, Brother 3 made sure to keep a good distance between himself and his brother. "Indeed it has, Brother 7."

Brother 1, being unable to speak, simply grunted in response.

Brother 7 ignored the grunted reply and raised a hand towards the dancing women. "So beautiful. So ripe. Yet if I touched them, I will lose them. It is quite a predicament, don't you think? I must limit myself to indulgences of the flesh to only rare occasions, or I'll use up all my women."

"Quite dreadful." Brother 3 agreed. "But we may be able to fix that problem. The Number Two has finally come out in the open."

Brother 7 was silent for a few moments, before he began to chuckle. "Has he now? Interesting." He clapped his hands. "All of you leave!"

The women immediately hurried out of the room, having no desire to be anywhere near Brother 7 in the first place. The lights turning on over Brother 7's head revealed why.

Like most of his brothers, Brother 7 had once had the appearance of an old man with a deformed cone-shaped head and a long white beard. His appearance now was hardly even human, let alone that of his brothers. All throughout his long life, his body had been ravaged by countless diseases. Leprosy, smallpox, syphilis, multiple forms of cancer, and the bubonic plague, more commonly known as the black death, were but a few of the many ailments that he currently suffered from; not to mention many new ones that have appeared over the years. His skin itself had turned a sick greenish black color, resembling the affliction of gangrene, which he actually had on numerous parts of his body. In all honesty, even with modern medicine and Professor Dharman's sadistic "healing methods", it was no less than a miracle that he was alive for more than a month since he became ill. His body had become so poisonous that even the countless species of parasites that had ravaged his body could no longer survive inside him.

Many believed, his own brothers included, that he alone was suffering for all the sins the Empty Seven Clan committed over the years, and that these diseases were the punishment for such wicked deeds. Because of this, he was often referred to as "Brother Unlucky Number Seven". Out of fear of contamination, Brother 7 had been isolated from the others.

On top of his misshapen head, where the number seven was tattooed, Brother 7 wore a very large sedge hat that had a type of decontaminated transparent curtain hanging down around him to protect others from his diseases, yet there were still those that became ill. He even wore thick leather gloves over his hands to further reduce risk of infecting things he touched. Brother 7 was quite literally and figuratively rotten to his very core, his diseases reaching into his very bone marrow.

To sooth his rotting flesh and decrease the rate the diseases ate at his blackened skin, he wrapped his entire body in bloody tourniquets stripped from human flesh; a fate normal given to the women he forced himself upon since they wouldn't live long after becoming infected anyway. Great deals of puss seeped out of the openings of these salves, soaking into his robes to the point that it seeped straight through, leaving wet patches over various areas.

Brother 3 felt his lips stretch into a frown of disgust. He really wished his brother had left the lights off. It was bad enough having to smell the diseased man's putrid flesh; did he have to see him as well? Several flies were constantly present outside the curtain surrounding him. Not that Brother 7 could do much about the smell since he was unable to bathe, the very water becoming poison if he stepped into it; not to mention it aggravated his rotten skin.

"So," said Brother 7, staring at his brothers with bloodshot eyes that had turned yellow from his bad liver, "the Number Two is on the move, is he?"

Brother 3 nodded. "He is. He's on his way to Mount Shumi to face the Number One."

Brother 7 stroked what was left of his long beard that had permanently been stained a yellowish color from the diseased bodily fluids that constantly ran down it. "Then the time has finally come for us to make our move."

"It has." Brother 3 agreed.

"And I suppose that means we'll be taking our little girl and our pet with us."

"They are the only ones who stand a chance against the Number One, and we do owe our little girl her chance at revenge."

Brother 7 grinned, exposing rotten yellow and brown cavity covered teeth heavily infected with scurvy and gingivitis. "Yes, she has been so looking forward to it. And even if she does fail, no one can defeat our pet. Not anymore."

"Either way," Brother 3 continued, "the Number One headband will soon be in our possession, and we will have the power of God in our hands."

Brother 7 chuckled. "The power of God. Think about it; us as gods. We'd be more like devils. That'd be more appropriate, don't you think? With the Number One headband, we will wield the power of Satan himself."

Brother 3 wisely chose not to respond to this. He knew that the constant pain his brother suffered over the years had turned him into a bitter, wicked person. "Shall we prepare to leave then, brother?"

Brother 7's gaze settled on him. "Yes," he replied, slowly raising his hand, "let's get started."

He snapped his fingers. A second later, both Brother 1 and Brother 3 received a shower of blood from behind them. Whirling around, Brother 3 saw his followers drop dead to the ground, sliced to pieces. Whoever had cut them was already gone.

He turned back to his brother. "Brother 7, what's the meaning of- gah!"

A sword burst through his chest before he could finish speaking. Behind him, a person hidden in the shadows stood holding the sword. Brother 3 immediately knew that it was their "pet" that had cut down his followers and stabbed him; no doubt on his brother's orders.

"B-Brother 7… why…?"

Brother 7's grin widened. "Why? What a foolish question to ask. Only one can have the power of God. To be a god means to stand higher than anyone, to be greater than anything. That power can't be split equally among three people, let alone seven; otherwise none of them would have true godhood. Besides, didn't I already tell you that I'd make a better devil than a god? And the devil wouldn't keep around useless companions." He stood up, using a cane to support his rotting body, and approached his brother. "And what have you been, Brother 3, other than completely useless? You only ever stood by listening to your damned music while the rest of us plotted and planned. Tell me, what was it you did to try and get the Number Two headband while our brothers died trying to obtain it? You offered rice and tea while politely asking for the Number Two to give you the headband rather than joining them in battle. Well now you can join them… in Hell."

He nodded to the person behind his brother. The sword in Brother 3's chest immediately twisted and sliced him open. With a gurgling cry, he fell to the ground dead. Then Brother 7 turned his attention to his other brother, who was squirming about as much as he could in his stretcher, his gold metallic arm trying to grab at his restraints.

"As for you, Brother 1, you did a great deal for our clan. You were our leader, and a good one at that. You even made sure I was well taken care of after I was exiled. Unfortunately, in your current condition, you're quite useless. Consider this a mercy killing; something, perhaps, you should have done to me when I first became ill."

He snapped his fingers again. The mysterious swordsman slowly circled around front of Brother 1, who continued to squirm around and make grunting noises.

"Know that I regret having to kill you." Brother 7 told him.

The swordsman stabbed forward. The sword pierced Brother 1's forehead. He immediately went still, his mouth dropping open to unleash one last grunt of protest before he joined the others in death.

"Well done, my pet." Brother 7 told the swordsman.

There was no reply from the swordsman, only the sound of blood dripping from their sword. It was soon followed by another sound, the sound of footsteps as someone else entered the room. Brother 7 turned to them, smiling at the woman coming up behind him.

"Did you hear all that, my dear?" he asked.

"I did." She replied, her tone devoid of emotion.

Brother 7 grinned. "That means the time has finally come. The time to take revenge on the Afro Samurai."

**(A/N: Pretty messed up. There's been a lot of talk among fans about whether or not there is a Brother 7 or not since he never appeared, though the name of their clan, the Empty Seven, it implies that there is or was. Some fans believe that Dharma was the seventh brother, but the **_**Afro Samurai**_** websites says that he's not. So, I made up my own Brother 7, and I wanted him to be a really freaky villain. But who are these other two. Brother 7 calls them his "pet" and his "little girl". You'll find out in later chapters. If you stick around, that is. There's gonna be action, drama, tragedy, and lots of humor from everyone's favorite trash-talking ninja. I hope you liked my first chapter and will come back for more.)**


	2. Chapter 2: Afro Samurai and Ninja Ninja

**(A/N: All right, so I didn't get too many hits last chapter. I'm not really surprised since this wasn't a very well known anime. As the chapter indicates, Afro and Ninja Ninja star in this update, and it's mostly reflecting on the past. So if you're one of the ones that's simply reading this fic without seeing the anime or movie, this will fill you in on everything you need to know.)**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

**Chapter 2: Afro Samurai and Ninja Ninja**

The legendary Number One headband. It promised the power of complete omnipotence. Many people would do almost anything to possess it. Yet, ironically, the current holder never really cared for it. The power of God and immortality against all opponents accept for the one who held the Number Two headband, neither of these things mattered to the legendary Afro Samurai.

Afro never cared about power, but what he did care about, the one thing he really did want to obtain, had required him to seek out and obtain the Number Two headband before he could claim his prize.

Vengeance, that's what Afro craved. He wanted revenge for the murder of his father, Rokutaro, the former Number One, who had been killed right in front of him when he was a child. He still remembered it like it was yesterday. He'd been a young boy living alone with his father at the top of Mount Shumi. His father had been the current holder of the Number One headband. But the power of the headband wasn't what he wanted. No, he had wanted to hide it away from the world so no more blood would be spilled over pointless attempts to obtain a piece of cloth. According to legend, if the holder of the Number One headband died of natural causes rather than being killed over it, then all the headband's power would die with its holder, finally putting an end to the countless battles fought over it.

Then _that man_ had come. A freakishly hideous gunman known as Justice arrived to challenge Afro's father for the title of Number One. He believed that the only way to stop the killing over the headbands was by becoming the Number One and ruling by force. But first he needed to defeat Rokutaro. And he was victorious. Afro had been watching on the side as Justice severed his father's head from his shoulders. Then he had taunted Afro, telling him to come and challenge him when he was ready to face a god.

Yes, the revenge Afro wanted was against Justice for his father's murder. And he didn't care what it took to get it. He had made the decision when he was still a child. He would claim the Number Two headband, and kill anyone that dared to challenge him for it. Then he would seek out Justice and kill him.

He knew what it would cost him. His master, who had taken him in after his father died and raised him, trained him, had warned him what wielding one of the headbands of legend would mean. He would know no friend and have no rest, he would only have a future of bloodshed and murder to look forward to until death finally claimed him, most likely by someone else's blade. And his master had been speaking from personal experience.

For the first time, Afro hesitated at the opportunity to get his revenge. But as he looked around at his adoptive family, all of them having been slaughters by a group of thugs, he realized that he had nothing left except his revenge. As he told his adoptive brother, Jinnosuke, or Jinno for short, when the dying boy had demanded to know why Afro had killed their master, he had done it for his real father.

"Damn, Afro, look at you bein' all broody and shit."

Afro glanced at the speaker, his only companion up here on Mount Shumi. And the guy wasn't even real.

The highly eccentric man, known only as Ninja Ninja, was a mere figment of Afro's imagination. Since he existed only in his mind, Ninja Ninja resembled Afro as much as a sibling would. Both had dark brown skin and a large afro-hairstyle, though Ninja Ninja's hair was white as opposed to Afro's black with a green tint to it if one looked real close.

Their color hair wasn't the only difference between them. Their personalities were complete opposites. While Afro was cold, quiet, and seemingly emotionless, Ninja Ninja was loud, snarky, and couldn't stop fooling around. And though the guy often got on Afro's last nerve, sometimes he thought that his annoying imaginary friend was the only thing keeping him sane.

Ninja Ninja had first appeared after Afro had killed his master. He had warned him against putting on the Number Two headband, but with only thoughts of revenge on his mind, Afro had done it anyway. Since then, Ninja Ninja had stuck by Afro's side, as if he even had the option of leaving. It seemed as if the guy was there partly to act as Afro's conscience and to point out other things that Afro wanted in life outside of getting revenge against Justice.

Perhaps Ninja Ninja was actually Afro's true inner self behind his emotionless mask and thirst for revenge, or maybe he was who Afro would have grown up to be if he hadn't been traumatized by his father's death as a child and grown up living a normal peaceful life away from all the fighting and bloodshed. Or maybe he was a completely original character his mind brought up as a copying mechanism. Who knew, he certainly didn't, and he had the power and knowledge akin to God, or so the legend stated.

"You're thoughts are gettin' pretty deep there, man." Ninja Ninja commented. "What's on your mind that's makin' you all moody?"

Afro sighed. Not for the first time, he occasionally wondered if he had actually gone mad all those years ago and Ninja Ninja was brought on by some form of insanity like Schizophrenia; wasn't that what the form of madness called when someone began seeing and hearing things that weren't there? The thought had crept into his mind several times over the years, but he hadn't cared at the time, not as long as it didn't interfere with his goal.

Being part of Afro's mind, Ninja Ninja knew his thoughts. "Now that's just plain hurtful, man. Come on, admit it, you missed me when I disappeared after your old pal Jinno 'killed' me. You know you did."

That was the last thing Afro needed right now, having his childhood friend and surrogate brother brought up. It was the same Jinno that had watched Afro strike down their master and adoptive father.

Back when Afro had first put on the Number Two headband, his entire adoptive family had been killed by men searching for the Number Two. Or so he had thought. How was he to know that the Empty Seven Clan would come along and save two of his adoptive siblings that he had believed to be dead?

"Oh, yeah," Ninja Ninja snickered, "the Empty Seven. Them brothas and that robo-doctor friend of theirs were some sick sons-a-bitches."

Afro didn't need to be told that. While he may have been a killer, he wasn't a bad person, not like those men. They were truly wicked people, willing to do anything and use anyone to achieve their goals; including saving the two barely alive members of Afro's adoptive family for the sole purpose of using them against him later.

The first was little Otsuru. They fixed her up and restored her to health. Then they gave her a clan name, Okiku, and trained her to be an assassin, teaching her martial arts and how to use a rather interesting ability called Dream Reading where she could siphon memories from people while they slept.

Otsuru didn't like it, but out of gratitude and loyalty to the ones that saved her life, she reluctantly became their pawn over the years. But when they sent her after Afro, they went too far. She was meant to be a spy, and they made her download his fighting style onto her cellphone with her Dream Reading abilities, then she was supposed to kill him.

But she couldn't do it. She may not have seen him for years, but like she told him, to her he was still the sweet boy she knew from their childhood. She still loved him, only it was no longer the childish friendly love she had back then, but the mature kind that a man and a woman felt for each other, and she realized this after an intimate night between the two of them.

She confessed everything to him, admitting to what the Empty Seven were making her do. And she paid dearly for her betrayal. After helping him to fight off the Empty Clan's ninjas that had come to kill him when she wouldn't, she and Afro had been about to leave together when Brother 2 mercilessly killed her.

With her dying breath, Otsuru warned Afro about the data containing his fighting style that she had downloaded onto her cellphone, but the Empty Seven managed to get it anyway. Rather than pursing the ninjas as they made their escape with the data, Afro chose instead to save her body from the burning house that the Empty Seven had set on fire. Then, before setting out on his journey once more, he took her comb/knife as a memento, and it actually ended up saving his life in the final battle with Justice when the gunman tried to do a sneak attack with a hidden sword that deflected off the comb rather than splitting his head in two.

"See, see, you should be grateful ta me for grabbin' that there comb for you, dog." Ninja Ninja told him. "Good thing that was no ordinary comb too, or else you would be one deeeeead mutha fucka."

In an instant, Afro's sword was out, pointing straight at his imaginary friend. "Shut up."

Ninja Ninja jumped back. "Alrigh', alrigh', chill. No need to be gettin' all snippy on me."

Afro put his sword away as his thoughts returned to his vengeful journey. He had made sure the Empty Seven had paid for what they did, making sure to give Brother 2 an extra painful and brutal death for killing Otsuru. After that, he had a clear path to Justice.

Or so he thought. He hadn't expected to run into the second surviving member of his adoptive family. Jinno had survived as well, though in a much poorer condition than Otsuru. The Empty Seven had saved him from death as well, and given him the new name Kuma.

Jinno's body had been mutilated beyond belief. The deranged scientist, Dr. Dharman, had brought him back from the brink of death by attaching mechanical parts to his body to keep him alive. Then they had trained him to be an assassin for their clan as well.

Unlike Otsuru, Jinno had no problem killing Afro. He blamed him for everything that had happened. He blamed him for their master's death, for their adoptive siblings' deaths, for Otsuru's near death experience, for the mutilation and reconfiguration of his body, everything.

"Yeah," Ninja Ninja muttered, "that was goin' a bit too far. I mean, you _did_ kill your master, but the guy was half dead anyway. And you didn' do anythin' to them kids, so I don' know why he was so peeved at you."

"Shut up." Afro growled again.

Even if Jinno had wanted to kill him, Afro still cared for him like a real brother. And he didn't blame Jinno for his anger and hatred. All the pain and rage he had suffered through needed an outlet, and with the men that had actually committed the murders dead, Jinno had turned his fury on the only other person who had been present that he could feel resentment towards. Not to mention, Afro had no doubt that the Empty Seven had said and done everything they could to turn Jinno against him. As consumed with anger and hatred as he was, Jinno would not be swayed from killing Afro. He hadn't wanted to do it, but Afro had been forced to take him down.

"But not before that son-a-bitch killed me." Ninja Ninja commented. "Well, he didn' _kill_ me, but you know what I mean. In your mind, I was dead." He lit an imaginary joint and popped it into his mouth. "But that mutha fucka just wouldn' die. I mean, damn man, how many times did he get his ass hacked up?"

Afro didn't answer. Yes, Jinno did seem to be indestructible. After Afro had killed Justice and claimed the title of Number One, Jinno reappeared years later, still alive and rebuilt, to try to kill Afro once again. Afro had warned him that he would only die again, but Jinno fought him anyway, only to once again be cut down.

Afro thought it would be over after that. He thought that he'd finally be able to put his past to rest. He turned from a life of bloodshed to a life of penance. He would stay isolated and alone at the top of Mount Shumi, lamenting on the sins of his past. A couple of times over the years, he received a challenger wielding the Number Two headband, but he was always quick to dispatch them and return to his life of penance.

Except for that one time. The day his past once again came back to haunt him. Jinno returned again, his body even more cybernetic than before. He had once again survived what should have been his death. But this time, his mind did not. There had been too much brain damage, and he had been reduced to a walking, fighting, mindless warrior doll. He could barely even think on his own, and he obeyed the orders of his vindictive younger sister, Sio, without thought or question.

Afro had met Sio before when they were children, back before his life had gone to hell. She had been a sweet girl who dotted on her older brother. But now, as an adult, she had become a sadistic, cunning, cold-hearted woman. She shared her brother's hatred for Afro and blamed him for what had happened as well, including the deaths of her own foster family, which Afro had nothing to do with. And so she thought up a truly sinister plan for revenge.

At the time, Afro had been so caught off guard by Sio and Jinno's sudden appearance that he hadn't fought back. Not to mention that after all these years of penance, he wasn't willing to fight Sio or her brother, or what was left of the latter. This allowed Jinno to unleash punishment on Afro before Sio took the Number One headband, even though she didn't have the Number Two.

Afro hadn't cared. He hadn't wanted the power the Number One headband granted anyway. He had been in it for revenge. And now that he had gotten it, he was done, done with all of it, with everything that came with that accursed cloth. But that's when Sio did something that he couldn't ignore. She had Jinno dig up Rokutaro's grave and steal his jawbone. She said she was going to use it to bring Afro's father back to life and make him suffer for the crimes of his son.

"That certainly snapped you outta your stupor." Ninja Ninja told him. "It was also when I came back into your life. And then the whole damn thing started all over again. I'm serious, the shit never ends, yo!"

Yes, it did start again. Afro once more found himself searching for the Number Two headband. With some 'help' from the remaining brothers of the Empty Seven Clan, he was able to find the current holder rather quickly. It was held by a man that reminded him a great deal of his own father. This man, Shichigoro, even had a son of his own. Like Afro's father, he had intended to keep the Number Two headband hidden away. He had hoped that with no one able to get it that there would be no one to challenge the Number One, and they would die naturally, putting an end to the headband's power.

But Afro couldn't let it go. It was his past journey all over again, and Shichigoro would not hand the headband. He forced Afro to fight him to the death, as it was with all battles over the legendary headbands. Though Afro had become rusty over his years of solitude from lack of training, he had still come out victorious in their fight.

It's said that history repeats itself, and a prime example of this happened as Shichigoro fell. Just as Afro had witnessed Justice kill his father over the Number One headband, Shichigoro's son, little Kotaro, saw Afro kill his father.

"That little kid is probably gonna grow up ta be jus' like you, man." Said Ninja Ninja.

Afro was afraid of that. Not for his own sake, but for the boy's. After seeing Afro kill his father, Kotaro had followed Afro for days with the intention of killing him. But Afro had had other things to worry about at the time. Now that he had reclaimed the Number Two headband, he could face down Jinno and Sio. However, he had no idea what had been in store for him.

Even with the power of the Number One headband, it was impossible to bring the dead back to life. So Sio had gone to the next best thing. She had Dharman of the Empty Seven Clan make a clone of Afro's father. But alterations had been made to it, making it bigger, stronger, faster. And then she had killed Dharma and interrupted the cloning process during its most critical stage. As a result, the Rokutaro clone had become a mindless force of destruction that eventually killed both Jinno and Sio, claiming the Number One headband for itself.

Afro had faced this monster. It had been difficult for him at first since the clone had looked almost identical to his father, but he was eventually able to accept that this beast wasn't his father after it nearly killed him and slaughtered Jinno and Sio.

It had been the toughest battle of Afro's life, tougher than fighting Jinno, tougher than fighting Justice, but after a long and tiring battle, Afro had managed to kill the clone and take back the Number One headband.

"And then you went and gave the Number Two to that kid." Ninja Ninja sighed. "Why would you go and do somethin' like that? I mean, we both know you couldn' keep both headbands, but why would you give it to someone that really has it in for you?"

Afro just glared at him. He knew it may seem stupid to provide the only way he could be killed to someone who actually wanted to kill him, but he had done it anyway. For better or worse, Kotaro had the right to pursue his own revenge for his father's death, just as Afro had.

"I'm jus' sayin'," Ninja Ninja complained, "it's almost like you _want_ that kid to come and kill you."

"Shut up."

It was the only retaliation he gave. The truth was that he had decided that if anyone would kill him, it should be Kotaro. Of course, that didn't mean that he would simply roll over and die if and when the boy ever came. No, he intended to fight with everything he had. Kotaro deserved to kill him, not simply end his life.

But Afro hoped that the boy had chosen a life of peace rather than a life of vengeance as he had. Perhaps he was stronger than Afro was and could let go of his hatred. Maybe Kotaro had even decided to follow in his father's footsteps instead and hid the Number Two headband away so that the years would kill Afro off, and thus letting the power of the Number One headband die with him. Maybe he had chosen the better path after all.

Or maybe not.

The sound of the door opening reached Afro's ears. Those doors hadn't been opened in a very long time, not since Afro had walked through them after killing his father's demonic clone.

Afro had known they were coming. One of the powers of the Number One headband granted was the ability to sense when the Number Two was near. And though Afro had never actually deliberately used the headband's power, this was an extra sense that came automatically. He did not know who the person was, only that they wore the Number Two headband.

As the approaching warrior got closer, the symbol of the Number Two blowing in the wind, Afro clearly saw, without doubt, that this person was indeed a grown up version of little Kotaro.

"Aw, man." Ninja Ninja muttered. "Shit's about ta get real."

**(A/N: You gotta love Ninja Ninja. The guy really cracks me up. He's definitely my favorite character. But his dialogue is annoying ass hell to write. Speaking of which, if anyone thinks his trashy language should bump this fic up to a **_**'M'**_** rating, please tell me, but for now, it will remain as it is. Next chapter will be the reunion for Afro and Kotaro since they last saw each other years ago when Afro told him to come for him when he was ready. Well, I'm calling to a night. Here's to hoping for more readers and a few reviews. Oh, and thank you, Fangking2, for being the first.)**


	3. Chapter 3: Kotaro's Revenge

**(A/N: I caught a bad cold. I'm not kidding, you should hear my voice; I don't have one. It didn't stop me from writing though. This chapter seemed longer while I was writing it, but didn't turn out as lengthy as I expected. I still think it turned out well though.)**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

**Chapter 3: Kotaro's Revenge**

Kotaro stared at the man before him. This was him, the Afro-Headed Demon, the one who had killed his father in cold blood. The same person who had given him the Number Two headband when he was a child and told him to come for him when he was ready.

He was also the one who had rescued him when he had been kidnapped by some rogue, and the one who had saved his life when he was lost in the desert. But these acts of kindness could not erase the sight Kotaro saw of Afro slaying his father every time he closed his eyes.

Over the years, Kotaro had learned what a burden it was to possess the Number Two headband. So many people had tried to kill him for it, and he had been forced to cut them all down or die. All this bloodshed over a stupid piece of cloth.

Kotaro didn't want the Number Two headband, he didn't even want the Number One. He could care less about the godly powers he could gain with them. What he really wanted was revenge. Revenge for his father, who had been cut down before his time. But until he was at Afro's level, he wouldn't be able to get it.

So he had disappeared. He went into isolation and focused on his training while he hid away from the world. With no one knowing where the Number Two headband was or who had it, he didn't need to worry about anyone trying to kill him over it, and he had been able to live a relatively quiet life to practice his swordsmanship.

Kotaro knew he could have just stayed hidden away, and he probably should have. It's what his father would have wanted, for him to live a peaceful happy life away from all this killing. But Kotaro knew that he just couldn't live with himself if he didn't get closure over his father's murder. In order to finally be at peace with himself, he would have to face Afro, no matter what the cost.

So now here he stood, ready to face the man who had killed his father. He had been uncertain if he would stand a chance against the powerful Afro-Headed Demon, but now, looking at him the way he was, Kotaro felt more confident.

Afro was no longer the young mighty warrior he had been. After 22 years, the mighty Afro Samurai had aged since Kotaro last saw him. He was in his late fifties, maybe even early sixties. Signs of wrinkles were beginning to appear on his face, and on both sides of his head, just above his ears, the smallest hint of gray patches were present in his hair.

So the Number One headband didn't grant eternal youth. It looked like the Number Two warrior and time itself were the only things capable of bringing down the Number One. But Kotaro would be sure that it was him, not time, that put an end to the legendary Afro Samurai.

As Kotaro sized up his opponent, Afro stared back with tired eyes, nodding at him in greeting. "Kotaro."

"Afro." The boy acknowledged back. "I've finally come."

"So you have." Afro muttered wearily. "I always knew you would. We're exactly the same." He sighed and tossed away his joint, placing his hand on his sword and unsheathing it. "Lets get this over with."

Seen only by Afro, Ninja Ninja ran up to him. "Yo, yo, yo, yo, Afro, are you sure about this? I mean, it's the same thing as with you and Justice. Don't get me wrong, I know you're nothing like that freaky deranged gunman, but it still comes down to a boy tryin' ta avenge his daddy. He could very well kill your ass. And you ain't as young as you used to be either, you know."

"It must be done." Afro replied.

Ninja Ninja scoffed. "Well, fine then! Don' listen to me. Go and get your punk-ass killed."

As he hopped out of the way, Kotaro continued to stare Afro down, completely unaware of the conversation that had just taken place in his enemy's mind. "Who were you talking to just now?"

Ninja Ninja snickered. "He's right, man. Hearin' voices ain't ever a good thing."

"It's not your concern." Afro replied, speaking to both him and Kotaro.

At the same time, the two charged at each other, swords swinging. Steel met steel in a shower of sparks. They broke apart and came back together again, swords flying. Afro blocked a swing and pushed back, narrowly missing Kotaro's face before his opponent jumped back.

Kotaro charged again, bringing his sword down. Afro jumped up and his sword hit the ground with a loud _clang_. As Afro came back down, he swung his sword, but Kotaro quickly jumped to the side. He kicked off the wall and used the momentum to lunge at Afro again. He collided with him hard, slamming his elbow into the older man in the process.

Afro went down, tumbling across the ground. Kotaro struck while he was down, but Afro quickly leapt to his feet to avoid the blow. He spun around, swinging his sword, and Kotaro moved back, the blade passing by less than an inch from his face.

Kicking out, Afro's foot collided with Kotaro's kneecap. As the boy went down, Afro swung his sword, but Kotaro blocked it. Then, in one fluid motion, he sprung back, pulled back his sword, and swung at Afro. Droplets of blood sprayed across the ground as Kotaro's blade cut across Afro's chest. It wasn't deep, but it still drew blood.

"Oh, shit, yo!" Ninja Ninja cried. "You bleedin' man, you bleedin'! This guy's good, man! You can't go easy on him, Afro, or you gonna be one dead mutha fucka!"

Afro held his hand to his chest, blood staining his shirt red. "Shut up."

"I didn't say anything." Kotaro growled. "But I am the first to draw blood. Maybe you hear the angels singing."

He lunged forward, stabbing at his wounded opponent. Afro leapt back and jumped to the side. He kicked off a stone column and jumped to the next one, kicking off this one as well, but this time leaping towards Kotaro, and the two began exchanging blows with their swords.

When they both stabbed forward, Afro managed to land a blow of his own, cutting into Kotaro's shoulder, but the boy's blade also managed to graze Afro's side. Both having spilled blood, and having their own spilled, they jumped away from each other, taking defensive stances.

"Oh, fuck! He got you again, boy!" Ninja Ninja exclaimed. "Are you tryin' ta get your ass killed? I know you old now, and it's been a while since you last fought, but I know you betta' than this."

Kotaro seemed to be thinking the same thing. "Is this really all you've got?" he demanded impatiently. "Or are you just taking it easy on me?" He suddenly looked furious at the possibility. "Don't you dare let me win! I mean it, Afro. Don't you _dare_! I don't simply want you dead; I want to _kill_ you. There's a big difference between the two; between me killing you and you letting me kill you. I want to take you down while you're fighting at your best. I can't be satisfied otherwise, and I'll accept nothing less. Do you understand?"

Afro was silent for a moment. "Yeah, I got it."

"Good." Kotaro growled. "Because your death will be meaningless to me otherwise. This isn't just about you ending up dead as a final result; this is about me killing you. I won't have my revenge if I don't. Only I have the right to kill you. If I can't be the one to take your life, then no one will. And I won't find satisfaction unless I beat you at your best."

Ninja Ninja looked back and forth between Afro and Kotaro. "Damn, man. This dude's really got it in for you. Well, for him bein' the one ta take you out." He lit a joint and took a puff. "Guess it's ta be expected though. He's been livin' his whole life for the sole purpose of gettin' revenge. Kinda sounds familiar, don' it? He really is just like you. I mean, I know he'd never do it, but would you have been satisfied if Justice had taken it easy on you, or if he just let you kill him."

Afro didn't even need to consider it. He knew the answer right away. No, he wouldn't have been satisfied if Justice had simply let him win. Sure, he would have been glad that the guy was dead, but his thirst for revenge would have never been quenched. He and he alone wanted to be the one to take Justice out while the gunman was at his best, no one else would do. And Kotaro deserved the same.

Nodding to the boy, he moved from a defensive stance to an offensive one. Kotaro did the same, but he was now looking at Afro curiously, seeming to consider something about him. "Why would you go easy on me anyway? Why not simply cut me down like all the others? Aren't you a cold-blooded killer who would do anything for power? Isn't that why you killed my father, and all those other people? Have you gone soft after all these years? Do you regret having taken all those lives?"

Afro was silent for a moment as the countless faces of those that fell before his blade flashed before his mind; most deaths were deserved, some that were not. "I regret… many things. You're father's death is one of them. I never wanted to kill him, and I never wanted the power of the Number One."

Kotaro's posture eased up a bit. "Then why?" he demanded, his eyes wet with unshed tears. "Why kill all those people? Why kill my father?"

Afro looked directly into the boy's eyes. "The same reason you did. For _my_ father."

Kotaro glared at him in contempt. "Then we really are the same. But it changes nothing. I'll still kill you!"

He charged at Afro again and the fight resumed. Ninja Ninja watched from the sidelines, crying out frightfully at some points while making unhelpful comments at others. Afro ignored his remarks as he focused on the battle. Kotaro was bringing his sword down again. Afro blocked the blow, but Kotaro suddenly let go of his sword with one hand to throw a punch. He hit Afro in the face, causing him to stumble back. Kotaro then used the opportunity to stab forward, aiming for his nemesis' heart.

Afro reacted quickly. His sword moved to block. Kotaro's sword clashed against his, moving down the blade in a shower of sparks. Afro jumped to the side and Kotaro lost his balance, stumbling forward. He recovered quickly though and spun around to face Afro while throwing several hidden knives at the same time. With some quick sword movements, Afro knocked the knives aside.

"Oh, come on, man!" Ninja Ninja complained. "A sneak attack with knives? That shit ain't fair!"

Growling, Kotaro suddenly turned and began running away. Afro chased after him, even though he knew it was what Kotaro wanted. With rapid speed that seemed to defy gravity, Kotaro suddenly began running up the mountainside with Afro close behind him.

When they were a good fifty feet in the air, Kotaro whirled around and let gravity seize him. He brought his sword down as he fell, even though he knew Afro would anticipate the move and block it. He hoped that with gravity on his side that he would be able to overpower his foe and cut right through him.

No such luck. Afro, as predicted, blocked the blow, but was able to keep Kotaro's blade back. The two fell towards the ground, their swords clanging together all the way.

They came apart as they landed and jumped back from each other, but they instantly came together again. With swords locked together, Kotaro jumped up and aimed a kick at Afro's head. Afro's hand came up to block it, and his fingers curled around Kotaro's ankle. He spun around and threw the boy, then charged after him.

Kotaro slammed into a large boulder protruding from the ground. He pushed off the large rock a moment before it was completely split in half by Afro's sword. As he landed a good distance away, sword raised, Afro turned around to face him again.

"Ah, shit! Ah, shit!" Ninja Ninja cried. "This is it, ain't it? I can feel it in my bones. This next attack is gonna be the decidin' blow."

In perfect unison, Afro and Kotaro charged at each other. The distance closed between them as they moved, perfectly synchronized, towards each other. Like mirror images, they stabbed forward, and blood splatted across the ground.

**(A/N: Cliffhanger ending. Who do you think stabbed who? I'll tell you this, getting stabbed there at the end does **_**not**_** mean death. There's a little preview for next chapter.)**


	4. Chapter 4: Rebuilt For Revenge

**(A/N: Well, my cold is gone, but now allergies are kicking in. That figures. I left it off at a cliffhanger last time. Now we'll see the final result of Afro's battle with Kotaro. I'm not too happy with the chapter title, but it's all I could think of. You decide if it's appropriate after you read it.)**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

**Chapter 4: Rebuilt For Revenge**

"Shit, man!" Ninja Ninja cried. "It's all over! Which one of you is still standin'?" He looked at the two combatants. "Oh, hell, he got you!"

"No." Afro whispered.

Blood dripped on the ground. Ninja Ninja looked on as he saw both warriors standing in front of each other, both with their swords buried in the other's chest.

"Aw, man!" Ninja Ninja complained. "That's it! We both dead now! How come I gotta die jus' cause you get your ass killed? That shit ain't fair, man!" He watched as more blood dripped down from Afro's blade while Kotaro's remained clean. "Hey, hold up. How come you ain't bleedin'? He cut you too, didn' he?"

Kotaro's eyes traveled up the length of his sword. Both he and Afro had stabbed forward at the same time, but Afro had managed to trap Kotaro's blade in between his arm and his body. His own sword, however, had found its mark in the right side of Kotaro's ribcage. In one quick motion, he cut upward, slicing up through the right side of Kotaro's body and out his shoulder.

Blood sprayed everywhere in a shower of red. Kotaro's sword fell from his hands and his legs gave out. Afro watched in slow motion as the boy fell backwards, landing in a pool of his own blood.

Perhaps it was coincidence, or perhaps it was the divine power of the headbands, but as Kotaro fell, the Number Two headband came undone from his forehead and fell away. Getting caught up in a sudden gust of wind, it blew through the air away from the former Number Two warrior and the current Number One.

Afro ignored the headband, knowing he couldn't keep it as long as he had the Number One anyway. His full attention was on the bleeding boy in front of him, his eyes full of sorrow and regret.

As he lay on the ground, bleeding out, a humorless chuckle escaped Kotaro. "Guess I… wasn't ready… Sorry, Dad."

"Kotaro…" Afro whispered sadly. He felt bad about killing the boy, but Kotaro would just be another one of the many lives he would regret having taken on his quest for revenge. True, most of the people he had killed were wicked people that were killers themselves, but there were good ones whose lives Afro had been forced to take in order to accomplish his goal.

"Hold up." Said Ninja Ninja. "Are you sayin' that you actually _wanted_ that kid to kill you?"

Afro didn't say anything. He would be lying if he said that a part of him had hoped that Kotaro would put an end to him. He was so tired of this life of sin he'd been living. He'd taken his revenge and had been satisfied with that, which was why he had never used the power of the Number One.

Yet he knew that as long as he lived, he would never be able to escape the headbands of legend. Once you put one on, your destiny became entangled with it, and it would take over your life until death. Afro had accepted this reality when he reclaimed the Number One title from his father's demonic clone.

But he had wanted to put an end to it all. He wanted the power of the Number One headband to die with him when he did. It'd be the only truly good thing he'd do for the world. Yet he also knew that he needed to give Kotaro his chance at revenge; he deserved it. Even if that meant that Kotaro would then be the one to carry the burden and power of the Number One if he was victorious.

Yes, part of Afro had wanted Kotaro to win, both so the boy could get his revenge, and so he could relieve Afro of his burden of being Number One. But simply letting the boy win was something he could not bring himself to do, no matter how much he wanted to.

With tired eyes, Kotaro saw the conflict and turmoil in Afro's gaze. "Don't look like that… You're supposed to be… the Afro Samurai, the Number One warrior… in the world, the one who bested Justice, my father, and me… I want to… remember you… that way…"

"Shit, man." Ninja Ninja commented. "That's deep, yo. Seems like this kid admires you as much as he hates your ass."

Afro was about to tell Ninja Ninja to watch his damn mouth, but the sound of applause stole his attention. The clapping sounded as if the hands that were coming together were wet and sticky.

"Damn, man!" Ninja Ninja exclaimed, covering both his nose and mouth. "You smell that shit? I ain't never smelled nothin' so nasty. Seriously, man, did someone bring somethin' that's been dead and rottin' in a pile of piss and shit up here? Really, what is that stank?"

The horrible stench got worse as the source came closer. From out of the shadows, Brother 7 slowly approached Afro and the fallen Kotaro, the curtain hanging from his sedge hat dragging on the ground.

"Excellent, Afro Samurai. Truly marvelous. You defeated your opponent with incredible skill. It seems your age hasn't affected your ability to fight." He grinned evilly. "Or perhaps the Number One headband is what has kept your skills so sharp."

Afro looked at the diseased old man without any emotion. Ninja Ninja, however, showed more than enough for the both of them. "Now who in the hell is this ugly ass dude? No, scratch that. _What_ in the hell is he? Is that supposed to be a person? He looks like a walkin' corpse that's been rottin' in sewage. Damn, and I thought Justice was fucked up lookin'."

"Shut up." Afro told him, turning to face Brother 7. "Who are you supposed to be?"

Brother 7 laughed. "I am the divine disciple. The last of our holy order. Nothing shall stop me in my noble quest, for I am Brother 7, the last of the Empty Seven."

Afro raised an eyebrow. "The last?"

"Guess it makes sense." Ninja Ninja told him. "Them dudes was pretty damn old; it's no surprise they kicked the bucket. Not quite sure how old this guy is since he's too rottin' ta tell by lookin', but does seem pretty old."

"That's right, the last!" Brother 7 declared. "Brother 1 and Brother 3 met an unfortunate end not too long ago." He pointed at him. "And you, Afro Samurai, you shall now meet your end, for you stand in my way to godhood, and that cannot be allowed."

Ninja Ninja nudged Afro. "Hey, man, this guy is totally trippin'. No way in hell is he a match for you. Look at him, he's old enough ta be your granddaddy, and he looks like he's about ta fall apart. You got this."

Afro paid him no mind as he addressed Brother 7. "You don't have the Number Two headband."

"No," Brother 7 agreed, "but when it blew away just now, my faithful follower caught it."

He snapped his fingers, and from behind him came, not one, but two people. One of them stayed back in the shadows while the other stepped into the light. It was a beautiful woman that looked to be in her thirties. She had long black hair, dark skin, and angry eyes that glared at Afro with total hatred.

Afro's own eyes widened slightly as he looked at the woman, yet it was Ninja Ninja who voiced his thoughts. "Hey, yo, Afro, is it jus' me, or does that girl look rather familiar?"

Yes, Afro felt like he had seen her before, but where? Before today, the last time he had seen another person aside from Ninja Ninja was 22 years ago when he gave Kotaro the Number Two headband before heading towards Mount Shumi.

Speaking of the Number Two headband, this woman was now holding it, having snatched it out of the air when it was blowing away. Still glaring at him, she held up the sacred cloth. "I am Kinko, and I now possess the Number Two headband." She tied it around her forehead. "With its power, I shall kill you and take my revenge, Afro Samurai."

Afro raised an eyebrow. Revenge, was that what this was about? Like Kotaro, had Afro killed someone close to this woman? With all the people he'd killed, it was very possible.

"It makes sense." Ninja Ninja told him. "I mean, I don' remember seein' this chick before, but she does look rather familiar. Must be a family resemblance. You probably offed her brother or her daddy or somethin' back in the day. Question is, who was it?"

Afro put the woman out of his mind for the moment and turned his attention to the third person; someone who had a very unusual shape. "And your other friend?"

Brother 7 smirked. "The greatest warrior who ever lived, and the future Number Two."

Ninja Ninja immediately objected to that. "Oh, now that is bullshit, right there. I believe the current greatest warrior is my boy right here." He frowned when he realized that no one aside from Afro could even hear him. "Man, I hate only bein' a figment of your imagination."

Not having heard anything Ninja Ninja said, Brother 7 finished the person's introduction. "Come forth, mighty warrior! Present yourself as the Empty Seven's greatest masterpiece!"

Not many things could surprise Afro, but this newcomer did. He saw that they weren't even human. From the neck down, they were entirely robotic, a complex build up of wires and gears. But it was the head that had him transfixed. It was the head of a very familiar teddy bear.

"J-Jinno?" Afro asked.

"Oh, _heeeeeell_ no!" Ninja Ninja cried. "Uh, uh, there's no way in hell that mutha fucka is still alive! It's gotta be some kinda trick, somethin' ta throw you off your game! You can't even see the dude's face. Anyone can where a freaky robo-teddy bear mask." He looked into Afro's stunned face. "Oh, shit, Afro, you ain't buyin' this, are you? Come on, just think about it. He was killed once when he was a kid, once before you faced Justice, once after you became the Number One, and once again by your freaky daddy clone. That there's four fuckin' times he's died, man. How in the hell could he still be alive? The last time you saw him, he was practically all robot and couldn't even think for himself. I mean, what's left?"

Ninja Ninja's ranting went by unheard by everyone accept Afro. Brother 7 merely snickered at the look on his face. "Yes, it is your friend Jinno, or Kuma as we called him, but then again, it's not him." He placed his hand on the android through his curtain. "I'm afraid your friend Jinno really did die during the fight with your father's clone. Without the good Dr. Dharman to help revive him, the boy's wounds were too great to save him again. However," he grinned evilly, "I for one believe in recycling. I had my men take him apart and save his robotic parts. Then they recovered the remains of Afro Droid. You do remember him, right?"

Afro's eyes narrowed. Of course he remembered Afro Droid. He had fought and defeated the robotic copy of himself back when he first faced the Empty Seven. It had been the whole purpose of having Otsuru download his fighting style, so they could program it into the robot duplicate.

The Empty Seven, though confident that they could take down Afro, had had their doubts about being able to defeat Justice. So they had Dr. Dharman create an android robot of Afro, the greatest warrior alive after Justice. Once they managed to obtain the data on Afro's fighting style, they had programmed it into Afro Droid. The robot copy had been one tough opponent, able to perform Afro's fighting style at 20% greater capacity, not to mention it had been packing some serious state of the art firepower. But still, Afro had beaten it.

"I destroyed the chip." Afro commented.

Brother 7 nodded in agreement. "Yes, yes you did. But what you didn't know is that my brothers had also sent me a copy of the data as a backup." He tapped his fingers together excitedly. "But why simply rebuild what had already been destroyed? No, I had my men take things a step forward. They may not have been as intelligent as the brilliant Dr. Dharman, but they were able to take parts from both Jinno and Afro Droid, along with some recovered parts of Lady Sio's robot bodyguards, to create a whole new android with the strength, skill, and power of both great fallen warriors to make this new and improved Kuma, now a true masterpiece."

He affectionately petted the robot's teddy bear head. "Of course, we unfortunately didn't have any data on Jinno's fighting style downloaded; why would we when he had the real thing. All that information was stored up in Jinno's brain. So we took that along with some other vital organs needed to keep the brain functioning. Only certain parts of the brain were used though. We didn't want old memories of good times affecting him again and taking over his conscience like they did when Lady Sio attempted to kill you. All that remains of your old pal Jinno are the parts of his brain that contained his fighting style… and his desire to kill you."

Ninja Ninja decided to add in his two cents. "Now that's jus' wrong. These people got no fuckin' respect for the dead. I mean, it wasn't enough for them ta keep modifyin' and rebuildin' your old buddy when they shoulda just let him die, but now they gotta be tearin' out his organs and shit. Even takin' his robot parts is messed up."

Brother 7 proudly continued his presentation of the android. "Recently, I had one last alteration made." He lifted up Kuma's left arm. The gold limb looked familiar. "After I had Brother 1 put down, I decided to make use of his mechanical left arm. Do you like it?"

Ninja Ninja pointed at him. "See, man, I told you! No fuckin' respect for the dead, not even for his own damn brother."

"No sense in letting useful parts go to waste." Brother 7 continued. "He smirked at the clearly agitated Afro. "They're more useful dead than they ever were alive."

Afro's grip on his sword visibly tightened. "Watch your damn mouth."

Brother 7 laughed. "Oh, but I haven't told you the best part yet of my plan. You see, once you're dead, I'll have Kinko here wear the Number One headband while Kuma wears the Number Two. With no one skilled enough to defeat him, no one else will ever be able to claim the Number Two and challenge Kinko. And as the Number One, and my loyal follower, she will use the Number One to do my bidding, and I shall rule over all through her! Even when I've gone from this world, my will shall be done!"

Afro's gaze returned to Kino as he finished listening to the old man's speech. "In return for letting me take my revenge on you." She told him. "I care nothing for the damn headbands, but I will have your life, Afro Samurai."

Afro stared at her, still trying to figure out who he killed in the past that she would want revenge on him for. He supposed it didn't really matter. The circumstances were different, but it was the same situation with him and Kotaro all over again.

Then his gaze shifted to Kuma once more. Both Jinno and Afro Droid had almost managed to defeat him. Now here stood some super robot warrior that was an upgraded combination of the two, with extra parts from Sio's robot warriors as well. He couldn't believe that Brother 7 had done that to Jinno's body. No, scratch that. He could believe it; the Empty Seven were just that twisted.

He looked at the diseased old man again. "You sick bastard."

Brother 7 sneered at him. "Do you think I care if you approve of my methods? The Empty Seven never shies away from doing what they need to do. We'll say anything and do anything, whether right or wrong, to achieve our goals. Lying, cheating, stealing, killing, they're just words meant to hinder us. Using and manipulating others is one of the many skills we've adapted."

Ninja Ninja had heard enough. "That's it! I've had all I can take from this ugly mutha. Afro, you need to kill this guy and get rid of his foul smellin' ass."

Brother 7 recognized the desire to kill in Afro's eyes. "Oh, you're ready to kill me now, are you? Well, you're going to have to get through Kuma here if you want me. But first, I owe Kinko here her chance at revenge." He turned to the woman. "All right, my dear, you're up. Take your revenge and let your mind be at peace."

**(A/N: Three new players have entered the game. Now Afro has this mysterious woman out for revenge and some super robot warrior to deal with. I've already started the next chapter. It's going slowly, but I'm having a lot of fun writing it.)**


	5. Chapter 5: Whip Slash

**(A/N: I completed this chapter much faster than I thought I would. If you thought chapter 3 was action-packed, just wait until you read this one.)**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

**Chapter 5: Whip Slash**

Kinko stepped forward. Reaching down with her right hand, she unsheathed a lethal looking samurai sword. With her left hand, she reached down and detached what looked like a coiled up silver rope. Holding the end, she shook it out, revealing it to actually be a rather long whip.

Afro raised an eyebrow at the whip, wondering how anyone could find much use of that in a sword fight since it could easily be cut with a single swipe of his sword. Was there something special about it?

Ninja Ninja, however, was thinking something completely different. "Shit, man, check out that honey wieldin' that whip. Damn, I bet she's into all kinds of kinky shit. Especially with a name like _Kink_-o."

Afro swung his sword, cleaning off Kotaro's blood with the rapid movement, while simultaneously giving Ninja Ninja a scare by nearly slicing off his nose. "Shut up."

Kinko swung her whip, snapping it in the air threateningly. "Prepare to die, Afro Samurai!" Kinko shouted as she charged at him.

As she ran, she swung the whip at him. Afro jumped straight up to avoid it, only to find Kinko leaping up towards him as well, swinging her sword. Afro blocked with his own and they kicked off of each other. Kinko swung her whip again, catching Afro's arm and pulling him back towards her as they landed.

As Afro was pulled towards her, he used the pull to his advantage and did a flip in the air so he landed on his feet and rushed towards her. His blade clanged against hers and she jumped back, flicking and pulling her whip in such a way that it was pulled free from Afro's arm.

She swung it again, this time with the intent to actually strike him with it. Afro rolled to the side, dodging the whip. It struck a boulder sticking out of the ground, tearing straight through the hard rock.

"Oh, shit!" Ninja Ninja cried in surprise. "You were right, Afro! That ain't no ordinary whip! What in the hell is that thing made of?"

Afro barely heard him. He too was shocked by what the whip had done. Kinko took the opportunity of his distraction by lashing out with it again, this time getting it to coil tightly around his neck.

Afro gagged as his air supply was cut off. Gripping the whip with one hand, he swung his sword down on it. The whip didn't cut, as expected, but instead sent sparks flying as if his sword had collided against another one.

Kinko smirked as she pulled on the whip harder, choking him. "You can't cut through it. This whip was specially made. The whole thing is made up of rings of metal piled on top of each other to make it flexible."

Afro glared at her. Ok, so he couldn't cut through it, but he could still use it to his advantage. He kept a firm grip on the whip and gave it a tug, pulling Kinko forward. She turned the stumble into a summersault and sprung towards her opponent.

Afro blocked her sword while pulling the whip from around his neck, gulping down the cool air. The two swords began clinging and clanging against each other as they exchanged blows. Kinko was on the defense as Afro forced her to back away. She swung the whip behind her, getting it to coil around a large stone statue, and used it for leverage to pull herself back and away from Afro.

When she reached the statue, she immediately kicked off it and flew towards Afro again. He held up his sword to block the blow he knew was coming, and Kinko's blade bounced off his. She quickly lashed out with her whip again, this time getting it to coil around a stone pillar, pulling herself away from him again.

"Damn." Ninja Ninja muttered. "She's a real pro with that thing. I ain't never seen anythin' like that."

Afro had to agree as he looked at the woman hanging from the pillar by the whip coiled around it. She was glaring down at him hatefully, waving her sword. "I won't fail to kill you!" she yelled at him. "I've waited too long! I've been training nonstop my entire life for this moment!"

She pulled her whip free and ran down the side of the pillar. When she reached the bottom, she cut through it with her sword. Afro jumped aside to avoid the collapsing pillar, only to find Kinko rushing towards him again.

She surprised him once more by suddenly throwing her sword at him. He smacked it aside and she, still coming for him, lashed out with her whip. The end wrapped around her sword before it even hit the ground and pulled it back to her.

As she ran past him, she swung her sword. Afro moved to avoid it, but her bladed still managed to cut across his hip, coating his shirt and pants even further with his own blood.

Kinko whirled around to face him, smirking at his bleeding side. "I've drawn first blood, Afro Samurai. And you were already wounded before this fight even began by Kotaro. What a pity."

"Are you gonna let her talk shit about you like that?" Ninja Ninja demanded.

"Shut up."

Ninja Ninja hesitated. "Hold up, were you just tellin' me to shut up, or her?"

Kinko obviously assumed he was talking to her, but didn't let it stop her as she began swinging her whip behind her. It coiled around a rock and ripped it from out of the ground when she pulled back. She flung it at Afro and then swung the whip back again, this time snagging the branch off a tree and sending that flying at him too.

Afro charged through the storm of debris, using his sword to cut and knock away the flying rocks and branches. When he reached Kinko, he stabbed forward. She jumped straight up and landed on his blade, balancing on the end.

"Damn, that was slick." Ninja Ninja observed.

Smirking, she swung her sword. Afro jumped back, taking his sword with him, and Kinko flipped off of it. She lashed out with her whip and Afro took off. Kinko immediately went after him. He copied what Kotaro did by running up the side of the mountain. Predictably, Kinko followed him.

Her whip shot out again, coiling around Afro's ankle and pulling him back. Afro had planned on going up a little higher before dropping down to her, but this still worked to his advantage.

Kinko wasn't foolish. She knew what Afro was doing; it was the same thing she had seen Kotaro attempt. As Afro fell toward her, she swung the arm holding the whip in such a way that it looped around Afro's arms and upper body. She pulled tight, effectively pinning his arms to his sides so he couldn't defend himself as he fell towards her blade.

As Kinko swung her sword, Afro's legs shot out and he caught her blade with his feet. As they fell, he did a flip, pulling the sword from her hand in the process. He sent it flying and landed on his feet, spinning around to uncoil the whip from his body.

Kinko landed close by, only now she had no sword. Afro charged at her, his own sword raised to cut her down. Kinko began waving the whip up and down while spinning around like a ballerina. Afro hesitated as the end of the whip cracked the air around her violently, making it nearly impossible to get near her.

His eyes followed the motion of the whip, waiting for the right moment for an opening to appear. He located it and, knowing he would only have a split second, rushed into the whip's range.

Still spinning around, Kinko leapt up in the air, going over Afro's head and avoiding his sword. She landed behind him, her whip striking his shoulder and drawing blood. Then she leapt away from him again. Her whip lashed out, coiling around her sword that was buried point first in the ground and pulling it back into her hand.

Afro was impressed. Whoever this girl was, she was a very skilled fighting. And she was a real pro with that whip; not that he had seen anyone fight with one before. She had trained herself to use it both offensively and defensively, as well as to help her move around and throw off her opponent. She would do all this and then strike with her sword, which she was also very good with.

Kinko began swinging her whip around wildly, the end striking the ground around her. It caused a dust cloud to rise up around her, hiding her from Afro's view. Then she began moving, circling around Afro like a shark getting ready to attack its prey, all the while striking the ground with her whip, expanding the dust cloud until Afro was surrounded by a ring of dust.

"Yo, Afro, where are you?" Ninja Ninja cried. "I can't see you, man!"

The sound of steel hitting steel was heard from within the cloud of dust as blades clashed against each other. After a few moments, Afro came leaping out, but Kinko's whip immediately flew out of the cloud and wrapped around his leg, pulling him back in, and the sound of clashing blades resumed.

More time passed, and Afro came rolling out again. Kinko's whip shot out after him again, but he jumped away in time and it struck the ground. The moment he landed, Kinko rushed out after him, and their swords crossed once more.

"Come on, Afro, man!" Ninja Ninja shouted. "I know you're better than this! Take that bitch out!"

Afro's eyes narrowed in annoyance. "Shut up." He grunted, then went on the offense.

Kinko once again found herself on the defense of Afro's furious assault, being drawn back as his sword came down again and again, overpowering her strength-wise. Then she suddenly surprised him by holding up her whip while stepping on the end to make it firm. His sword clashed against it, blocking his blow, and her hand came down, wrapping the whip around his wrists.

That's when she struck. Her sword slashed up, cutting him across the chest. Spinning around, she maneuvered behind him, bringing her sword down across his back. Afro fell to his knees, bleeding profoundly from his chest and back as her sword came down a third time, slicing him across his back again, leaving him with a bloody X mark.

"Oh, no, oh, no!" Ninja Ninja cried. "You down, Afro! You ain't dead, are you?"

Kinko stood over the fallen warrior. Her gaze shifted to his sword where it had fallen and she kicked it, sending it over the mountainside before returning her attention to him again. "So, this is the full power of the Afro Samurai, the Number One warrior of the world? How pathetic." She reached down and tugged the Number One headband from his head. "Guess you won't be needing this anymore. Such a shame for you to lose it since it's the only thing you care about."

She pulled off the Number Two headband and replaced it with the Number One, marking her as the greatest warrior in the world. Then she walked back over to where Brother 7 stood with Kuma by his side.

The diseased old man began clapping his hands together with a wet slap heard from beneath his gloves. "Excellent, Kinko! You've made me proud. You've brought honor and glory to the Empty Seven Clan, and now you wear the Number One headband."

Kinko just glared at him. "I didn't do it for you, or for the damn headband." She held up the Number Two to the teddy bear-headed robot. "But I do owe you for this opportunity, and everything else you've done for me."

Kuma reached out and took the Number Two, tying it around his large metal head. Brother 7 grinned proudly as he looked at the new Number One and Number Two warriors of the world. "Excellent, and now, with the Number One and Number Two at my command, I shall rule this world as God!"

Kinko didn't show the slightest bit of interest in this. Much of the hate had left her eyes to be replaced with sadness. "Congratulations to you." She said uncaringly, then looked back at Afro and some of the hate returned. "Now I need to put my past to rest. I may have defeated him, but I still need to see him die."

Brother 7 grinned. "Yes, of course, my dear." He snapped his rotten fingers. "Kuma, if you please."

The mechanical bear obeyed his command and marched over to Afro. Ninja Ninja, unable to physically help the fallen warrior, was doing his best to verbally get him to his feet. "Come on, Afro, you need ta get up. Old teddy bear-face is comin' ta finish your ass off. You gotta get up right now."

Afro tried, but his injuries were too great. Kuma reached down and grabbed him by his hair. Afro groaned as he was lifted up and dragged over to the edge of Mount Shima.

Kinko walked over to the two of them. "Thought you might enjoy one last look at the world you used to rule once more before you die. After all, this is what you threw everything away for. The power of God, paid for in the blood spilled by seeking these accursed headbands." Her fists clenched tightly in anger. "You could have had it all, a happy life full of love and peace, something I would have given anything for, but was denied because of your actions. Instead you shunned that type of life. And for what? A fucking piece of cloth?" Angry tears threatened to pour down her cheeks. "I'll never forgive you for what you've taken from me. The only reason why I'm not going to kill you myself is because I think it will be more painful to have what's left of your childhood friend, who you cut down again and again, be the one to end your miserable life. After all, he deserved to have revenge too; in whatever way he can get it. I'll just have to settle for being responsible for your downfall."

Kuma forced Afro to his knees. Then he reached down and pulled out his sword. Though he was only half conscious, Afro still felt the cold metal press against his neck. In the back of his mind, he heard Ninja Ninja screaming that he was about to "Get his mutha fuckin' ass killed if he didn't get up", but he was too out of it to do anything about it. A small part of him realized that Kuma was going to take his head off. He was going to meet the same end as his father.

His gaze slowly shifted to the sneering Brother 7, then back to Kinko. "Who… are you…?"

Anger and disgust flashed in her eyes. "It's a little late for you to get to know me now." She glared at him with a hint of sadness and regret written on her face. "Tell you what, while you spend an eternity burning in the deepest pit of Hell, you can take all the time you need to think about each and every person you've wronged in your miserable life. See if you can figure it out on your own. You've certainly got a long list of people to choose from. Goodbye, Afro Samurai."

She nodded at Kuma, giving him the go ahead, and he raised his sword to decapitate Afro. As his blade came down, a shadow moved behind him. It zoomed past him, grabbing the Number Two headband from Kuma's head as it rushed by.

Afro suddenly had the wind knocked out of him as someone slammed into him, sending both him and whoever had ran into him tumbling over the edge of Mount Shumi. Brother 7's enraged cry echoed around them as Afro and the mysterious person fell, the latter clutching the Number Two headband tightly.

**(A/N: In case you couldn't figure it, this chapter was meant to be a pun on the word 'whiplash', relating it to Kinko's sword and whip. I always wanted to see someone using a whip as a weapon, so I made one myself. How'd I do? Did the battle turn out well? And what will become of Afro? More to come.)**


	6. Chapter 6: Fallen

**(A/N: Sorry for the delay. What I thought were allergies was my cold on the rebound, and it came back with a vengeance. I just wasn't up for writing for a while. Now my cold **_**really**_** is gone, and I'm back in action. Unfortunately, this chapter came out shorter than I would have liked, and not much happens. I guess it's what you would call a filler chapter.)**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

**Chapter 6: Fallen**

"Afro! Hey, yo, Afro! Get your ass up!"

Afro groaned as he crawled out of the depths of unconsciousness. The first thing he became aware of was the incredible pain. His whole body hurt terribly. He was in more pain than he ever had been in his entire life. He felt as if he could die at any moment.

"Yo, man, get up." Ninja Ninja told him. "It ain't your place to die here."

Slowly, one of Afro's eyes cracked open. Ninja Ninja was standing over him looking concerned, but it was the sight behind him that held his attention. The giant hand-shaped rock formation of Mount Shumi loomed over him in all its glory. Had he really fallen from way up there? How in the hell was he still alive?

The wind blew in that moment, and a white ribbon blew in his line of vision. His eye instinctively followed the ribbon blowing in the breeze. But the design on it revealed that it was not a ribbon, but the Number Two headband. It was wrapped around a bloody broken hand that was attached to an equally bloody and broken body.

Even in the torn up state the body was in, Afro recognized who they were. "Kotaro…"

He remembered now. As Kuma was about to deliver the killing blow, Kotaro, who had been hanging onto life by a mere thread, had somehow found the strength to force himself up and throw himself at Afro while simultaneously grabbing the Number Two headband from the robot's head in the process.

As the two of them fell from the top of Mount Shumi, Kotaro had clung to Afro and turned them so he cushioned Afro from the fall when they collided with the mountainside and skidded the rest of the way down. Sure enough, a long bloody trail ran down the mountainside, stopping in the pool of blood where they lay.

Kotaro was in bad shape. Along with the massive wound Afro had inflicted, his body was torn to shreds from sliding down the mountain. It looked like every bone in his body was broken, many of them protruding from his body. The boy was very and clearly dead.

'_Why?'_ Afro wondered. He couldn't figure out why the boy had done it. He'd wanted him dead for years, so why save him?

Unless he wasn't trying to save him. Kotaro must have known that his wound was fatal. Maybe he had tried to take Afro to the grave with him. But if that had been the case, why had he deliberately turned them to cushion Afro with his body as they fell. And why snag the Number Two headband; it was useless to them if they were dead.

It was too much for him to process in his current state; he was far too out of it. Already the darkness of unconsciousness was pulling him back into its depths. His mind was going blank, and his eyes were beginning to flicker shut again.

"Oh, no you don't, Afro!" Ninja Ninja cried. "Don't close your eyes! You'll probably never wake up again. Do you really want to die right here? I mean it, man, don't shut your… Oh, man, you shut your eyes."

Afro groaned just before unconsciousness took him. "Shut… up…"

(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)

"Where is he?" Kinko raged. "He _has_ to be dead. No one could possibly survive that fall. So where the hell is his body? Did someone steal it?"

"We got careless?" Brother 7 admitted, staring down at Kotaro's bloody corpse that they had just finished digging up after someone had obviously buried him. "I thought that boy was down for good and would suffer a slow agonizing death. In truth, I'd already completely forgotten about him. Who would have thought he had that much life and strength left in him?"

"What I want to know," Kinko grumbled, looking at Kotaro's body with pity, "is why he would try and save that man. He cruelly slaughtered the boy's father along with many others, even him, and all for the sack of that stupid headband. He wanted him dead, so why did he save him?"

Brother 7 stroked his beard. "I fear we underestimated the boy's desire for revenge. He didn't want Afro dead; he wanted to _kill_ him. There is a difference." He looked at Kinko. "Don't worry, you'll have your revenge. We both will; it'll just take a little longer that expected."

Kinko glared at him with great dislike. She greatly despised the diseased old man, almost as much as she did Afro. True, he never laid a hand on her, but the old pervert was vile, cruel, and abusive. She knew he could care less about avenging his brothers, especially since he had two of them killed himself.

She also knew that he didn't care about her or her own revenge. She was a means to an end, nothing more. He'd been training her nonstop ever since she could wield a stick in place of a sword to practice with. It was all to take down Afro. The old man feared him, and was willing to resort to any means to defeat him. Kinko was his ace in the hole.

Well, not his only ace. Her gaze shifted to Kuma. She knew that the robotic warrior surpassed her in every way. In fact, the old man probably wouldn't even had bothered with her if he hadn't gotten his hands on Jinno and Afro Droid's parts first. But that hadn't happened until many years later.

As much as she hated the sick old geezer, she owed him her life, and for raising and training her. Not to mention he had given her the chance for revenge. It had been the only thing she had left. That was why she served him, that was why she went along with his bullshit dream of godhood; they were helping each other.

But now it seemed that both of their goals were out of reach. Afro was still alive and had disappeared with the Number Two headband. She wouldn't be satisfied until she saw Afro dead, and Brother 7 wouldn't be satisfied until both headbands were at his disposal.

"We'll track him down." She said. "He can't have gone far. We'll find him, and this time I'll put an end to him."

Brother 7 hesitated, weighing the pros and cons about this. The Number One headband was finally in his possession, but it was Kinko that wore it. He needed her to use the headband's godly power through her. So he needed to stick by her.

No doubt, Afro would now be after them. Going out into the world to hunt down the Number Two would put him at risk. No, he should stay at Mount Shumi. It would be much safer to stay there. He was sure Kuma would be able to defend him, but he didn't want to get killed by s sneak attack.

Of course, Kinko wouldn't be talked out of her revenge. But if he let her go out to find Afro, she would take the Number One headband with her to make sure he came after her, even as she searched for him. And Brother 7 didn't want the headband out of his sight.

Even if he did manage to convince her to hand it over to him, he didn't want to wear it himself; that would make him a target. He would much rather be in control of the one who wore the Number One rather than be the actual one wearing it.

His thoughts shifted to Kuma. He wanted the robot warrior to wear the Number Two headband. He was confident that no one save the Number One would be able to defeat him. And if no one could beat Kuma, then no one would be able to obtain the Number Two headband and challenge Kinko, who he would have control over.

So, if he wanted to send someone out after Afro, Kuma would be his best choice, but he knew that Kinko would never allow it, and she would not give up the Number One headband. Though she had no desire for its power, it was a surefire way to make sure Afro came after her.

Her desire for revenge was the one thing Brother 7 had no control over. She wanted to be the one to take Afro down. Back up on Mount Shumi, she had been willing to let Kuma make the killing blow, but that was because she had already taken him down and had thought that his death had been a sure thing. But now that Afro was, somehow, up and walking around once more, she would be adamant about beating him again.

Brother 7 sighed. No, the best option, for now, would be to leave Afro be. He would most likely come back. Until then, Brother 7 decided that he would begin his godly rule.

"Don't worry about the Afro Samurai, my dear." He told her. "He won't take his defeat lying down. He'll be back to reclaim the Number One headband soon enough. There's no point in going on a wild goose chase to find him when he'll simply come to us."

Kinko's fists clenched. He had a point. If Afro was going to come back, then it would probably be a waste of time to go searching for him. Besides, what if he came back and she wasn't here because she was out searching for him.

"Fine." She grumbled. "We'll wait. But my patience is at an end. I want my revenge."

Brother 7 grinned. "And you shall have it. As a god, I will see that all our desires are met."

(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)

"_Wake up, my son. Wake up."_

_Groaning, Afro's eyes cracked open, and a familiar face greeted him. "Father?"_

_He knew right away that he was dreaming. It wasn't an ordinary dream though. It was like the one he had 15 years ago after Sio took the Number One headband from him. His father had appeared to him in a dream back then too. Whether this vision was real or just another dream remained as big a mystery as it had back then._

"_Get up, son." Rokutaro told him. "You cannot die yet. You still have a job to do. You must get back the Number One headband once more."_

_Afro closed his eyes. "I don't want it anymore. I never wanted it to begin with."_

"_That is not an option for you. I told you before, son, no matter what the reason is, once you put on one of the headbands of legend, you must shoulder the burden. You'll never be able to escape it. It's kill or be killed. You don't get a choice in the matter."_

_Afro didn't open his eyes. He was just so tired of everything involving those damn headbands; they truly were cursed. "Then let me die here and be free of it. I've got nothing left anyway."_

_Rokutaro got angry at that. "You don't get to say that. You took on a responsibility, one you do not have the luxury to walk away from. You were going to put an end to the headbands' power. You must see it done, or if you can't, see to it that it falls to someone who can finish what you started. At the very least, you cannot let that old man have it." He knelt down by his son. "Or are you going to let all those people die in vain? We're all dead because of those headbands. They are the true enemy. Jinno, Otsuru, your master, Shichigoro, me, all of us are dead. And now Kotaro is too."_

_Each name his father brought up caused a phantom pain in Afro's heart. The last one made him open his eyes again. "Kotaro… why did you save me?"_

"_Why do you think?" Rokutaro replied. "He told you so himself. He didn't want you dead; he wanted to be the one to kill you so he could be at peace with himself after watching you kill his father. It was the same for you. Unless he had been the one to end your life, your death would have been meaningless to him. He wouldn't let anyone else have you. It would be him, or no one." Rokutaro's eyes softened. "He also heard everything that old man said, and he knew you would be the only one who could stop him." He turned and began walking away, leaving Afro with these parting words. "Go back, son. It's your duty. We'll see each other again someday, but it will not be today."_

_Afro reached out to Rokutaro's retreating figure. "Father! FATHER!"_

**(A/N: Some of you are probably rolling your eyes at how Kotaro used his body to cushion Afro from the fall and he survived because of it. While highly unlikely, don't forget what universe this is taking place in and the types of things the characters survived. But even though Afro is alive, he's in real bad shape. So what happened to him, and where is he now? More questions will be answered next chapter.)**


	7. Chapter 7: The Seer

**(A/N: Now we'll find out just what became of Afro since he passed out at the bottom of Mount Shumi.)**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

**Chapter 7: The Seer**

Afro's eyes snapped open. "Father!"

He instinctively tried to sit up, and pain exploded throughout his entire body. His strength failed him completely and he collapsed back down. Very slowly, the pain faded away, but not completely; his body was in too poor a condition for that.

From out of the corner of his eye, he spotted Ninja Ninja crouching down beside him. "Well, looks who's finally awake. You sure took your sweet ass time comin' back. I thought you was dead for sure."

Ignoring his imaginary friend for now, Afro's eyes traveled around the small space he was in. It was a little room, but from the movement he felt, he could determine that it was moving. He quickly came to the conclusion that he was in a wagon that was traveling to an unknown destination.

The next thing he became aware of was that he was in a comfortable bed. The blankets had ben tossed aside when he had tried to rise, exposing his body, which had been heavily wrapped in bandages.

He immediately had a feeling of déjà vu, his mind going back many years ago to when he had woken up after being gravely wounded to find the beautiful face of Otsuru staring down at him. Had someone else saved him and nursed him back to health like she had?

"Um, no shit." Ninja Ninja told him. "How else you think you still alive?"

Afro glared at him. Ok, so someone had helped him, but who?

Almost as if to answer his question, the curtains of the wagon opened and a little girl who couldn't have been any older than 7 poked her head inside. She gave him a smile and shouted over her shoulder, "Daddy, the man with the funny hair is awake!"

The wagon came to a sudden stop. A few seconds later, a middle-aged man stuck his head in. his eyes narrowed at Afro, almost as if he were disappointed to see him awake. "Thank you, Mimiko. Now go to your grandmother while I take care of things."

The little girl, Mimiko, as her father called her, gave him a stern look. "Remember, Daddy, Grandma said that he's important."

"I remember what she said." Her father told her harshly. Then he relaxed, realizing that he had no reason to be talking to her in such a way, and he gave her an affectionate pat on the head. "Go on, now. Daddy won't do anything bad."

The girl nodded happily and left. The man's cold expression returned as he turned back to Afro. "It's about time you woke up. You've been lying here unconscious for two weeks."

"Two weeks!" Ninja Ninja exclaimed. "Shit, man! I didn' think it'd been that long!"

Of course, the man didn't hear any of this as he went on addressing Afro. "You should be grateful to my mother. She's the one that made me help you. If it were up to me, I would have left you there to die."

Afro struggled to speak, the effort causing pain in his chest. "Where…?"

"Are you?" the man finished for him. "On the road. Not really in any specific area. My family and I are traveling merchants. It's just my mother, my daughter, and me. We found you at the bottom of Mount Shumi as we passed by. You were half dead."

"Well, it wouldn' be the first time for that." Ninja Ninja commented.

Afro ignored him. "Kotaro?"

The man scowled. "If you're referring to that boy we found with you, he's dead. We buried him where we found him."

The image of Kotaro's broken corpse flashed through Afro's mind. With it came the memory that the boy had been clutching the Number Two headband in his bloody fist, and his eyes immediately began scanning the inside of the wagon for any sign of it.

The man noticed him looking around and reached into his jacket, pulling out the Number Two headband. "Is this what you're looking for?" he asked in disgust. If it were possible, he scowled even harder. "I kept it safe for you. Don't worry; you can have it back. I know what it is, and I want nothing to do with it." He tossed the headband on the floor as if it were a useless piece of garbage. "And I know who you are too, Afro Samurai. Practically everyone knows who you are, and what you did to get that accursed piece of cloth." He nodded into the corner, where Afro saw his sword leaning against the wall. "We found that not too far from where we found you. Just how many people did you kill with that sword to get that stupid headband? Did you kill that boy too? Kotaro, you called him."

Afro didn't answer. Yes, he did kill him. It may have been the fall that finished Kotaro off, but Afro had inflicted what had been, undoubtedly, a fatal wound on him during the fight, which would have taken his life soon enough. He was actually survived the boy had survived the deathly blow for as long as he did. But the real truth of it was that Afro had killed him long before their fight, back when he first gave him the Number Two headband.

When Afro remained silent, the man sighed. "Guess it doesn't matter now. Although, I am curious to know why it was the Number Two headband we found and not the Number One. Unless someone got there before we did and stole it while you were out."

"No." Afro muttered, recalling the fierce battle with the mysterious woman.

"So you were defeated then. Well, I guess it had to be sooner or later. You must be one lucky bastard to still be alive after having lost though." He shook his head. "It just doesn't make sense. All this fighting and killing, and for what? A damn headband that supposedly gives the wearer the power of God. Well, let me tell you something. There is only one true God, and it was never anyone that wore that stupid headband. You're all nothing but a bunch of filthy murderers!"

"Tetsuo, that is enough!" came the voice of an old woman. Moments later, the curtain parted further to reveal the speaker. "You are being rude to our guest."

"Mother," the man, Tetsuo, growled, "he is nothing but a killer!"

The old woman shook her finger at him. "You see things far too one-sidedly. Nearly everyone he killed were people that attacked him. Almost all those kills he made were in self-defense."

"All for that fucking headband!"

"Enough! Go see to your daughter. I'll take things from here."

Tetsuo grumbled irritably, but exited the wagon all the same. The old woman nodded, satisfied, and turned back to Afro. "You'll have to forgive him. He's very sensitive to violence, especially when it's connected to the headbands of legend. We've had some bad experience in dealing with them."

She came further into the wagon, and Afro got a good look at her. While at first glance she appeared to be a normal plump, gray-haired old woman, at this close a range he could see that her eyes were actually sewn shut, and there was a vertical scar over both her eyes.

Ninja Ninja immediately jumped back in shock. "Oh, shit! What's up with her eyes? This bitch is blind, yo!"

Surprisingly, the old woman looked right at Ninja Ninja and smiled. "I'm used to such reactions, but I could do without the language."

Ninja Ninja's mouth dropped open. "Yo, hold up a sec, can this bitch see me? How in the hell is that possible?"

The old woman returned her attention to Afro. "My son told you that he's a traveling merchant, but that is only his profession. I have a business of my own. My name is Kaho, and I am a seer. So I travel with my family as a fortuneteller."

Ninja Ninja retreated farther away. "Whoa, Afro, this here woman is some kinda witch!"

"Not a witch," the old woman corrected him, "a seer. I have visions of the future, so I make predictions for my customers." She sighed and rubbed her sealed eyes. "They're enough to drive a person mad. Several years ago, I cut out my own eyes to try and stop the visions from happening." She chuckled humorlessly. "I should have known better. You'd be correct in thinking that it only made them worse."

"Well, no shit." Ninja Ninja replied. "That's always the case. Any dumb ass could have seen that comin'."

"True." Kaho agreed. "Cut off one of your senses and the others get stronger, the sixth sense included. But with nothing else I could do, I decided to put my second sight to good use and began telling fortunes." She sighed again. "It's actually part of the cause for my son's bitterness. You see, one day, back when Mimiko was still a baby, she was sick with a fever, and he took her into town to see a doctor while his wife stayed behind to watch the shop. While he was away, I ended up getting a customer that wanted me to use my fortunetelling to find the location of the Number Two. When I could not tell him, he became angry and trashed the shop. My daughter-in-law tried to get him to leave, and he killed her. That's why my son hates anyone involved with the headbands of legend."

Now Afro felt sympathy towards Testuo. Still, he couldn't help but wonder why he was helping him if he hated him so much. "Why are you telling me this?"

"So you understand." The old woman told him. "Trust me, I have no love for those involved in the headband wars either. Under normal circumstances, I too would have left you to die where we found you. My son certainly wanted to, and I had to convince him otherwise."

"Why?" Afro asked again.

"A good question. Why would we save someone we hate, nurse him back to health, treat his injuries, force feed and give water to him, when he may never even wake up from his coma? As my son said, you've been lying here for two weeks. You most certainly would have died anyway if I wasn't such a skilled healer, nor would you have recovered so quickly. After all, you did have numerous broken bones. So why would we go through so much effort to save a man we despise. It's simply really. It's because the world needs you."

Afro nearly scoffed at that, and probably would have if it didn't hurt so much. "That's why you saved me, because you think I'm good for the world? Bullshit. You're crazy."

"Hey, man," said Ninja Ninja, "don't be sellin' yourself short like that. Yeah, sure, you made a lot of mistakes, but, hey, nobody's perfect, and you're a hell of a lot better than some of them other mutha fuckas that wanted to be Number One."

"Your friend is right." Kaho told him. "It's how I managed to convince my son to help you. The lesser of two evils, if you will." She stroked her blind eyes. "I've seen what the future holds if that rotten old man rules. There will be much suffering and death. You must stop him. Only you can defeat his two guards and put an end to him."

Afro assumed she was referring to Kinko and Kuma. "What do I care for the world? It's been against me nearly my entire life."

"Ok, now that's cold, man." Ninja Ninja told him. "I understand that you're not really a people person, but that's just messed up."

"You should listen to your friend." Kaho told him. "He may just be a figment of your imagination, but he's also you're inner voice." If she were able to, Afro had a feeling that she would be glaring at him right now. "Why else would you feel the need to give penance for all the wrongs you've committed? I know, Afro Samurai. You were driven by hate for your father's killer, so you cast out all other emotion to do what was necessary in order to get your revenge. Now, if you want to make up for all the sins you've committed, then taking back the Number One headband from that diseased man will be a start."

Afro simply closed his eyes. "There's not enough forgiveness in the world for all I've done. You should have just let me die."

Kaho crossed her arms. "Perhaps I should have, but we would all suffer greatly if I did. You can't run away from this. Do you not remember what your father told you? It's your responsibility."

Her words hit home. Dream or not, Afro knew what his father would really say if he were here. As the holder of the Number One headband who sought to put an end to its powers, he was indeed responsible to see that the job got done, or to pass it on to someone else that could do it if he couldn't. And that certainly wasn't Brother 7, or his two cronies.

"There you go." Said Ninja Ninja. "You just do what the old bag says. Who knows, maybe savin' the world from Mr. Old-Sick-And-Ugly will absolve you of your sins, or at least let you find the peace you need. You'll be savin' a hell of a lot more lives than you took."

"That is for sure." Kaho agreed. She noticed that Afro seemed to be ready to fall asleep again, and decided that she had said enough for now. She turned to leave, but left him with some parting words. "Know this, Afro Samurai, oceans of blood have been spilled over those headbands, and you can put an end to that once and for all. Now ask yourself if it's worth it."

Ninja Ninja nodded as he watched her leave. "Mmm, hmm. She's right. If you want to do penance, this is the way. Besides, you know that if you accept death now that you'll just be runnin' away. And it ain't like you ta be a coward."

Afro's eyes shot open towards Ninja Ninja, making the imaginary man flinch. But a familiar fire was now burning in his gaze. "Shut up."

Ninja Ninja blinked, then a grin crept up his face. "Now _there's_ the Afro I know."

**(A/N: It's a little annoying writing Ninja Ninja's speech, but I still get a kick out of it. I hope no one found the part with the seer to cheesy. She won't have much more to do with the story after this. For now, Afro has to recover. So where's Afro going to go from here.)**


	8. Chapter 8: Afro Wanderer

**(A/N: Writer's blocks are no fun, but I still managed to get this done. Hey, that rhymes. Now, lets get back to the story.)**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

**Chapter 8: Afro Wanderer**

Already Brother 7's rule was beginning to affect the planet. Life around the world slowly became darker and harsher. Afro was far from fully recovered, but he'd reached the end of his patience. His resolve to fight burned as hot and as furiously as it had many years ago. So he had left the small family that had helped him as soon as he could. He hadn't been very welcome there anyway.

"Got that right!" Ninja Ninja told him as he followed close behind. "That old blind bitch merely tolerated you because she needs you ta defeat that nasty old dude. And her son jus' plain hated your ass. He seriously wanted to kill you. I thought he might actually slit your throat in your sleep or somethin'. The only one that seemed to care was that little girl, and her daddy wouldn' let her anywhere near you."

Afro's thoughts turned to little Mimiko. Yes, she had been a sweet girl, happy and excited to have someone new around. She was still so young and innocent, not knowing how cruel the world was. Her mother had been killed back when she was still a baby, so she was still ignorant of just how bad people could be. Of course, her father had told her to stay away from Afro, saying he was a bad man. But little Mimiko didn't understand what he meant. How could Afro be a bad man if he never hurt them, and why would her father and grandmother help a bad man in the first place?

"Yeah, cute kid." Ninja Ninja continued. "Happy and ignorant. Kind of like how you were before Justice killed your daddy." Afro stopped walking and Ninja Ninja jumped back, realizing he'd said too much. "Whoa, man, I didn' mean anythin' by that! I'm just pointin' out how carefree kids are until they grow up or somethin' fucked up happens to them. You know what I'm sayin'?"

He received no reply, but Afro began walking again. Ninja Ninja cautiously continued following him. They walked in silence for a bit, but with Ninja Ninja, that certainly didn't last long.

"Hey, man, I was just thinkin', what d'you suppose that freaky blind bitch meant about Kinko?"

Afro didn't reply, but his thoughts shifted to Kaho's parting words to him. She'd told him that Kinko was being manipulated by Brother 7, and that he actually needed to save her. Afro had figured out the first part on his own. He guessed that he had killed someone close to her that had come after him back when he first held the Number Two headband, and now Brother 7 was using her desire for revenge to his benefit. But whether she was being manipulated or not didn't make a difference. She still wanted him dead, so what did it matter if Brother 7 was just using her? Adding fuel for the fire, that's all the old man was doing.

But Kaho had warned him that Kinko needed saving, and that if Afro didn't save her, or worse yet, actually killed her, it would be the greatest regret of his life. Somehow, Afro seriously doubted that. There were already too many things he regretted, many of them greater than what killing Kinko would make him feel.

"So what're you gonna do?" Ninja Ninja asked.

Afro didn't miss a beat. "I'm gonna kill her."

Ninja Ninja nodded. "Mmm, hmm, shoulda seen that comin', you's one cold-blooded mutha fucka. You sure you won't regret it? We still don't know who she is. I mean, she familiar, she definitely, but damn it, I can't put my finger on what it is."

He waited for a response, but got none. When more than a few seconds of silence passed and he realized he wasn't going to get anything out of him, he spoke up again. "In any case, that girl is some tough shit. I mean, you definitely coulda taken her tight ass out if you was younger and not so outta practice, but as old as you are and as messed up as your body is, you gonna have some real trouble beatin' her. She's damn good, and she wants you dead." He lit a joint and took a puff. "You know that if you ever gonna stand a chance of winnin' against her that you're gonna need ta get that there whip away from her first."

Afro had figured as much. Kinko's specially designed whip was her primary weapon. While not all that good for making a killing blow, it gave her the opportunity to deliver a real killing blow with her sword. Her fighting style really was very unique.

"And what about your old buddy Jinno?" Ninja Ninja asked. "Well, it ain't really him, just a few pieces of him that nasty old dude salvaged. That's seriously messed up. It's like some robot Frankenstein shit, man. Talk about seriously disrespectin' the dead. These Empty Seven clowns got some real issues. And this last one, he more fucked up than all the others put together. I can't believe he stuck Jinno and your robo-copy's parts together like that. Still, it's gotta make some bad ass fuckin' machine. Both Jinno and robo-you nearly killed you. So how in the hell are you gonna beat somethin' that's as strong and as skilled as botha them combine; not to mention he's also got them other parts from Sio's robo-freak family that were added on. I really don' fancy seein' what that metal bear-dude is capable of. Maybe we should jus' cut our losses and run."

Afro didn't even look back at him. "Do as you please."

Ninja Ninja glared at his back. "Man, I knew you was gonna say that." He sighed loudly. "Are you even in any shape ta fight them? I mean, I know Kotaro cushioned your ungrateful ass when you two fell off that mountain, which I _still_ can't believe you survived, but you was still seriously messed up afterward. You gonna need longer than a few weeks ta heal." He tapped his chin. "Hmm, you think that's why that blind woman had us brought so far away from Mount Shumi, to give you more time to heal while you made you way back?"

Afro didn't answer. He really didn't care anyway. Maybe that really had been part of the old woman's plan. She was, supposedly, some sort of psychic, or so she claimed. Afro wasn't entirely sure he believed that. Sure, he'd witnessed several strange things in his life, but he had never met a seer before, if they were even real.

"Well," said Ninja Ninja, "she could see and hear me. Well, not _see_ me, but she certainly knew I there, even if I am really only in your mind. Still, that's gotta count for somethin', cause she at least knew about me somehow."

"Shut up."

"Yeah, yeah, I know how it goes. We been down this road before. In fact, it's almost like we comin' around full circle. Jus' think about it. Long ago, you set out on this path to kill Justice, and you killed a lotta other people doin' it. Now you settin' out on this path again so you can find peace for yourself from all them poor bastards you killed." He snickered. "I wonder how many people are gonna die this time." At Afro's annoyed glare, he sighed. "Yeah, yeah, I know. Shut up, right?"

(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)

Brother 7 relished in the powers at his disposal. And as he enjoyed the fruits of his labor, he couldn't help but find it funny how he, the one thought most likely to die from his countless afflictions, was the last of his honorable brothers. And where all them failed, he had succeeded. And now the power of the Number One was his to command.

Well, to be more precise, it was Kinko's to command, but he was the one who controlled her. It was funny how a sick, feeble, weak old man using fancy words was so much more powerful than her and the other warriors of his clan. He may not be able to handle a sword in his fragile condition, but his voice was a far more powerful weapon in its own way.

His gaze shifted over to Kinko. She was sitting in what had come to be known as the Throne of Justice. Perhaps it was because Afro had never sat there that it was still thought of as Justice's throne.

Brother 7's thoughts focused on the former Number One. Justice had been a very interesting individual. According to the rumors, the diseased looking gunman had experienced some sort of chemical accident, which resulted in his hideously grotesque appearance and his seemingly inability to die, though Afro had managed to kill him in the end by slicing his body to pieces. But according to the stories, after his accident, Justice had been able to heal his injuries and even regain his youth after absorbing blood.

Brother 7 looked down at his own wretched body, wishing he had such useful abilities. He wondered what kind of chemical, or chemicals, Justice had been exposed to back then. Perhaps he should look into that, it might help heal his own body.

Speaking of which, he needed to replace the skin tourniquets wrapped around his body that soothed his rotten flesh. The supply he'd brought with him was beginning to run low. He would need to send Kuma out to round up more people to be skinned so he could have more salves. He could also use a few women to satisfy his lust.

He looked back at Kinko, admiring her curves. She was a beautiful sexy woman. He had lusted after her for many years, wanting to experience her flesh on a carnal level. But she was off limits to him. He had other more important plans for her, and exposing her to his diseased body would contaminate her, and she would die, just as all the other women he'd had brought to his bed. He needed her alive; she was no use to him dead.

Still, she looked so damn sexy sitting there in meditation. It took great restraint on his part not to go over there and take her, although she would no doubt kill him if he tried, debt or no debt. Her loyalty was based solemnly on her chance to get revenge on Afro, which he had given to her. Not to mention the only reason she was even alive was because of the Empty Seven Clan. She owed them her loyalty, whether she wanted to or not. But she did have her limitations to how far she could be pushed, and she also had her own morals.

Her eyes suddenly snapped open. There was a fire burning within them, and a scowl appeared on her face. "He's here."

Brother 7's eyebrows rose up. The Afro Samurai was here? That was faster than he expected. It had only been a few months since they had last seen him tumbling down the mountainside. Brother 7 had thought that he would need more time to recover.

Well, no matter. The sooner the Afro Samurai ended up dead, the better. But this time Brother 7 was taking no chances. He'd left a little surprise for him at the bottom of Mount Shumi. Even if he did make it to them, he would be too drained to stand a chance against Kinko.

She, however, was having different thoughts. "I don't want him dead before he can get here. I want to be the one to kill him."

Brother 7 grinned. "And you will, my dear. Just consider this a chance for the Afro Samurai to test out his skills once more before he faces you. His life will be yours to take in the end." A mocking grin crept up his face. "Unless, of course, he manages to kill you as well, in which case, the honor of slaying him will belong to Kuma."

Kinko glared at him. "I will not die, not unless I take him with me. The Afro demon _will_ die by my hand."

(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)

"Come on, man, what is this shit?" Ninja Ninja grumbled. "We walk for weeks without havin' anyone challenge us for the Number Two headband only to end up with ev'ry single motha fuckin' warrior in the world waitin' for us at our destination."

Of course, Ninja Ninja was exaggerating. There was far from every warrior in the world here. But there were several dozen ninjas dressed completely in black standing between Afro and the entrance to Mount Shumi. Nearly every last remaining warrior that worked for the Empty Seven Clan was here, and they all had their sights set on Afro and the Number Two headband.

Afro showed no emotion to this gathering of fighters. He had come prepared for a fight. Before coming here, he'd rested up in the nearest town and had a good meal. He also had a nice refreshing glass of lemonade, knowing it may very well be his last. Even after all these years, it was still his favorite drink, and had been ever since he had first tried it as a child, back when little Otsuru had mispronounced it as "lenomode". Even as a little girl, she had known him so well. She was right in guessing that if he had a choice that his last meal would include lemonade.

As the black clad warriors moved in, Afro placed his hand on his sword and slowly unsheathed it. "All right, lets do this."

**(A/N: I was drawing a bit of a blank with this chapter. As you can see, it's basically a filler. But what's with this sudden interest in Kinko that has come up. Kaho had told Afro that she needed saving. Just what's the deal with her? Next chapter is when the action will resume, so I hope you'll be here for it.)**


	9. Chapter 9: Last Stand

**(A/N: I'd hoped that this would be longer than it ended up. Whenever I play out an action scene in my head, it always seems longer than how it actually turns out. Oh well, here's the rematch between Afro and Kinko.)**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

**Chapter 9: Last Stand**

A twisted smile crept up Kinko's face as the doors opened to reveal a blood covered Afro Samurai. She knew that none of the blood was his own, and she also knew that most, if not all, of the men he had just hacked his way through to get here were most likely dead. She didn't care; they were heartless cold-blooded assassins anyway.

Not like him though. Afro was a ruthless murderer that would kill anyone, good or bad, just for the hell of it. He even killed those dearest to him, family members, those who loved him and who he supposedly loved in return. All for the sake of power. She would never forgive him for it, for taking from her the happy and loving life she could have had. Now it was the time for her to take her revenge. And this time, she would make sure he ended up dead.

The rancid odor of Brother 7 told her that the diseased old man was near. "Did I not tell you, my dear? He has returned to take back what was taken from him."

Seen and heard only by Afro, Ninja Ninja pinched his nose. "Phew, damn! I forgot how bad that nasty ass stink is. Shit, what the hell is he gonna smell like once he's dead. I don't think I wanna know. That'd stench probably kill ya."

Afro ignored him as he approached the two. They were soon joined by Kuma, who stood protectively in front of Brother 7, as was his programming. Afro didn't worry about him right now. He had to prioritize. First he would take care of Kinko, then he would deal with Kuma. After that, he'd put an end to the Empty Seven for good. Then he could go back to either waiting to die or waiting for a new challenger come to kill him.

Kinko approached Afro, daring to stand right in front of him. "So, you really did come back. Your desire for power is never satisfied, is it?" Afro simply looked at her, not saying anything. Kinko glared at him, then reached up and traced the Number one headband across her forehead. "You really want it that badly? What's so great about having power? There's so much more to life. You could have just stayed away from here and lived the rest of your days in peace." Anger flashed through her eyes. "But you're not satisfied with that. I guess it's no surprise. I know what you've done for this damn ribbon. Well now your past has finally caught up with you."

It was as if the end of her speech signified the beginning of the duel. Quick as lightning, Afro's hand fell to his sword and whipped it out to cut her down. He only hit air as Kinko back-flipped away. Her sword and metal whip were suddenly in her hands, and she rushed towards him.

Afro jumped back as Kinko lashed out with her whip. Afro smacked it away with his sword and kicked off the wall, rushing back towards her. Their blades crossed, locking the two together. With her other hand, Kinko swung her whip, wrapping it around a large rock and ripping it out of the ground. With a tug, she pulled it towards her and her opponent.

Afro pulled away from her and ducked, watching as the rock soared over his head, brushing against his hair. Kinko struck with her sword and Afro blocked with his. He kicked out, knocking her feet out from under her.

Kinko turned her fall into a flip, cartwheeling away from him. Once at a distance, she lashed out with her whip. It curled around Afro's blade, and she pulled. Afro kept a tight grip on his sword, refusing to let her take it from him.

Kinko began spinning around, letting her whip wrap around her waist as she got closer. She swung her sword, but Afro's hand shot out, grabbing her wrist to prevent her from making the blow. He twisted her arm in the wrong direction, making her drop her sword. With her this close, he was able to gain enough slack from her whip to pull his own sword free.

With her sword on the ground and her whip coiled around her body, Afro released her and went for a killing blow. But Kinko surprised him by jumping up and twisting her body so his sword struck against her whip, using it to block his hit. She leapt away from him, spinning through the air to uncoil the whip from around her.

"Ok, that was a nice move." Ninja Ninja commented. "I seen her use her whip to block before, but that there was really good."

Kinko didn't hear this as she lashed out with her whip. But she wasn't aiming for Afro. Instead, her whip struck her sword, sending it into the air. She lashed out again, her whip wrapping around the blade and pulling it back to her. She could easily use her whip to reclaim her sword if it came within her whip's reach.

Once it was in her hand again, she tossed it straight up and swung her whip at it again, this time coiling it around the grip. She then began spinning around while swinging her whip, the sword at the end making it deadly.

"Oh, shit, yo!" Ninja Ninja exclaimed. "She gone and made her whip deadly! Afro, man, watch out for that blade!"

Afro dodged the blade whenever the sword came near or batted it away with his own sword. At one point when it came lower to the ground, he stabbed his sword into the ground. Kinko's whip smacked against it, sending the whip flying from its coils.

Pulling his own sword free, he charged at Kinko. She danced out of the way of his swipes while using her whip to keep him at bay. Afro spotted an opening and swung his sword, but Kinko did a backflip, grabbing a handful of dirt in the process when her hands touched the ground. Once on her feet again, she threw the handful at him. Afro's eyes instinctively closed as the dirt flew into his face.

Seizing the opportunity, Kinko lashed out with her whip. It wrapped tightly around Afro's throat, and his hand came up, grabbing the whip as Kinko pulled it tight. Instead of trying to free himself, he surprised her by tugging hard on the whip, bringing her towards him.

As she stumbled forward, Afro swung his sword. Kinko dropped down and slid right between his legs. She immediately got to her feet and pulled on the whip. It was yanked against his groin, pulling on his neck, and Afro was brought down, flipping over onto his back.

Kinko's leg came straight up, demonstrating her flexibility, and then came straight down, her heel aimed for Afro's neck to break it. But he rolled to the side, allowing the whip to uncoil from around his neck in the process, and her foot hit the hard ground with enough force to crack it.

Afro jumped to his feet while simultaneously stabbing upward. Kinko jumped away to avoid the stab, but his sword still managed to graze her enough to draw blood. Her eyes flashed violently as she hopped away from him. When she had regained her balance, she charged at him and Afro rushed to meet her.

She suddenly maneuvered to the side and ran right past him, avoiding his swinging blade while managing to snatch up her own sword in the process. Whirling around, she lashed out with her whip, just as Afro spun around to face her again. Her whip wrapped around his sword again and she pulled, this time successfully managing to disarm him.

"Shit, man! She's gone and got you're weapon!"

Letting his sword fall to the ground, she rushed at him, lashing out with her whip again. Afro's arm came up to block his face, and the whip painfully struck and coiled around his arm. Kinko reached him and swung her sword. Afro jumped over her head, dodging the blow while managing to pull the whip off his arm. He went for his fallen sword as Kinko went after him.

Her whip flew out, aiming for his feet to bring him down. Afro heard it cutting through the air and jumped up just as the whip struck the ground where his feet were. Landing by his sword, he snatched it up and whirled around, stabbing forward at his pursuer. Kinko quickly jumped up and Afro found her balancing on the end of his sword.

While standing on the end of the blade, Kinko swiped at Afro's head. He leaned back as far as he could go, watching as her blade passed by mere inches in front of his nose. He pulled his sword back, forcing Kinko to jump off or fall, and swiped at her. Kinko back-flipped away and Afro gave chase. She continued her series of backflips, staying ahead of Afro, until she reached the wall and kicked off it. Their swords clashed together in a stalemate.

At this close range, she couldn't use her whip against him, or so Afro thought, but she surprised him once more. While keeping his blade back with her sword, she rotated her wrist with her other hand, making the whip coil around it, affectively giving her a metal fist. She punched him square in the jaw, knocking him back, the result being the same as if she had punched him with brace knuckles.

Feeling dazed, Afro shook his head to clear his senses, just in time to leap back to avoid her blade. She immediately unwound her whip from her hand and lashed out with it, but he had anticipated this and managed to snag the end, much to her surprise. He rushed at her, keeping hold of the end of her whip, and she stabbed at him with her sword. He maneuvered around it while simultaneously wrapping her whip around her sword hand. With a tug, he tightened it while bending her wrist in the wrong direction, once again making her drop her sword.

Kinko kicked forward, forcing Afro to relinquish his hold, and cartwheeled away, grabbing her sword once again in the process. Then she lashed out with her whip, and it once more coiled around his blade, attempting to disarm him again.

Afro kept a tight grip on his sword as Kinko pulled, both digging their feet into the ground. Afro carefully positioned himself in the right spot, and then suddenly released his sword. Kinko's eyes widened in surprise, but she had very fast reflexes. Her own sword came up and knocked his away as it came at her.

Pain suddenly exploded in her abdomen. After Afro had released his sword, he had charged at her, burying his fist in her gut. As Kinko dropped to her knees, Afro snatched up his sword again. With the wind knocked out of her, Kinko raised her sword to defend herself. Afro's own sword collided with hers, but her bad grip on it and awkward angle she held it at allowed him to knock the blade from her hand.

Kinko's grip on her whip tightened and she prepared to lash out at him with it, but the movement was stopped as something held it back. Her gaze shifted to her whip and she saw Afro's foot on it, pinning it to the ground.

"Enough of that." He said.

His knee came up, colliding with her chin. Kinko felt her teeth rattle as she was knocked onto the ground on her back. Though she kept hold of her whip, Afro's foot prevented her from using it.

Kinko opened her eyes again to see Afro standing over her. His sword was inches from her face, capable of taking her life at any moment. Her mind went wild, thinking of any possible way to get out of this position. She considered kicking his legs out, or throwing dirt in his face, she even thought about grabbing his blade with her bare hand. But she wasn't foolish; she knew what he was capable of. In this position, he could kill her at any moment. If she tried anything, she would be dead before she even finished making a move.

Instead, she glared at him, her eyes burning with hatred. "Well, what are you waiting for? Go ahead and kill me. What's one more? You've already murdered countless others. You even killed your own father."

"Actually," said Ninja Ninja, "it was some freaky, evil, mutant clone of his father, not his actual daddy."

Kinko obviously didn't hear him as she continued challenging Afro the only way she still could. "Family clearly means nothing to a heartless bastard like you when it comes to power. All life is completely meaningless to the Afro Samurai. You've already killed my mother, so go ahead and get it over with. Come on, Father, complete the circle and take the life of your own daughter!"

**(A/N: There's a twist for you. Did that blow your mind? You're probably confused right now. Don't worry though, the big mystery of who Kinko is and other questions you may have concerning her will be answered next chapter.)**


	10. Chapter 10: When the Past Catches Up

**(A/N: And now for the shocking truth behind Kinko's origin and her history with Afro. Just how exactly can she be his daughter? You're about to find out.)**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

**Chapter 10: When the Past Catches Up**

Her words echoed off the mountain walls. She spoke the words with such hate that no one would make such a claim that disgusted them so much. The anger and despair in them rang so deep that the odds of it being a lie were impossible. But the possibility of her words being true were just as impossible, if not more so.

"Aw, hell, no, Afro!" Ninja Ninja exclaimed. "Don' you dare listen to her! That there is total bullshit! You ain't got no kid!" He cut his eyes at Afro. "Unless you been messin' around with some honey durin' them years I wasn' around."

Afro barely heard him. The information of Kinko's claim was still being processed in his head. He finally found his voice, but only a single word slipped out without him meaning to ask it. "What?"

She smirked at him, but it was a look filled with hate and disgust. "Didn't think it would happen after you killed her, did you? Well, after 36 years, you're finally meeting the daughter you never wanted and tried to rid yourself of."

The math immediately began running through his head. She said 36 years? Yes, Kinko looked to be around that age. But it was still impossible. The last woman he had laid with had been...

"Otsuru…" he whispered.

Yes, 37 years ago, she was the last person to share his bed. And before her, he hadn't been with a woman for a few years.

Kinko's unhappy grin widened. "That's right. So you finally remember. Yes, Otsuru, or Okiku as she was known in the Empty Seven Clan, was indeed my mother. You got her pregnant during that night you spent with her."

Afro's eyes scanned over her face. Now that it was brought to his attention, he knew why she looked so familiar. Kinko was almost an exact image of Otsuru, but she had some of his own features mixed in as well. Her skin, while not as dark as his own, was much darker than her mother's, and she also had Otsuru's long flowing hair, but it was his hair color, black with a green tint to it if he looked real close. She had his eyes too, and they were filled with the same anguish he saw in his own every time he looked in the mirror.

Now that he knew the truth, it seemed so obvious that he couldn't believe he had missed it. But how was it possible? He and Otsuru had only made love once, and she had been killed a few hours later that very same night by Brother 2 while defending him. None of it made any sense.

"How?" he didn't even realize he had asked the question until he heard his own voice.

"I think I can answer that." said Brother 7 as he approached the two of them. "Our clan is very skilled technology-wise. After the unfortunate death of Kinko's mother, one of our men had carried off her body."

Afro's unconsciously clenched his fists. If one of those ninjas took her body, that would mean that they had dug her up, because he had buried her himself.

"See, I told you!" Ninja Ninja cried. "No fuckin' respect for the dead!"

"After that," Brother 7 continued, "we let her incubate for a while. And with the aid of the brilliant Dr. Dharman, we removed the fertilized egg from her body. And for the next nine months, Kinko was grown in a test tube until she had developed enough to be 'born', for lack of a better word. And now here she is, 36 years later, getting officially introduced to her father for the very first time."

Afro remained silent at the conclusion of Brother 7's story, but Ninja Ninja had plenty to say. "That there is some of the most fucked up shit I've ever heard. Seriously, what kinda sick demented mutha fucka does somethin' like that?"

Even though Afro had a theory, he still asked the question. "Why?"

"Why?" Brother 7 repeated. "Why? Why do you think? The same reason we stole your fighting style, the same reason we saved the life of your friend Jinno and turned him against you, the same reason we helped clone your father and had him fight you. So we could kill you and claim the Number One headband for ourselves. I told you before, the Empty Seven Clan is willing to do anything to achieve its goals. People are just tools for us to use in order to do this. And who better to kill the Afro Samurai than his own flesh and blood?"

Kinko continued to glare at her father. "They told me all about you and your quest for power. You seduced my mother from the clan that saved her life as a child from the massacre that you caused. Even so, she still loved you, and you used her! And once you were finished with her, you killed her because she had learned your fighting style from her Dream Reading.

Afro showed no reaction, but Ninja Ninja was another story. "Oh, that is such bullshit! Them old dudes musta been lyin' to her all her life to turn her against you! They nuthin' but a buncha lyin' sons-a-bitches!"

"They told me how my mother always wanted a child." Kinko continued. "They said that she was a great person and would have made a wonderful mother. But you killed her and then continued on your quest for power. You robbed me of having the loving mother and happy childhood that I could have had. Instead, my life has been filled with intense training, stories of a murderous father, and the promise of revenge for the injustice that was placed upon me. Revenge is the only thing I have left in my life. I'll never forgive you for what you did to me! Never!"

Afro was silent as everything suddenly made sense. This girl, his own daughter that he had never known existed, had been turned against him by her mother's real murderers for the sole purpose of taking him down, the same reason Kuma had been built. The surviving members of the Empty Seven and that deranged doctor had given her life, and then poisoned her against him. They had made him out to be the villain that had taken everything from her and then fed her lies and thoughts of revenge, probably starting back from when she spoke her first words.

This truly didn't surprise him. With the things the Empty Seven had done, the way they used people, their relentless pursuit for a power that they would do anything to obtain, not to mention the deranged ingenuity of Dharman, it was all very easy to believe, and even expect of them. And they certainly had the knowledge and technology to pull it off. Hell, Dharman had turned Jinno and others into cyborgs and cloned his father. Compared to that, creating a test tube baby from him and Otsuru was nothing. The whole thing almost made Afro laugh.

"What are you waiting for?" she demanded once more. "End it already. Kill the last of your kin. At least I'll be going to my grave knowing that you'll be joining me soon once Kuma gets through with you."

Afro didn't even acknowledge the teddy bear-headed robot. His full attention was still entirely on his daughter. His daughter. Holy fucking shit, he had a daughter! His and Otsuru's child. He still couldn't believe it, even with the evidence literally staring him in the face.

Reaching down, he tugged the Number One headband from her forehead. Then, he slowly lowered his sword. To Kinko's surprise, he turned around and began walking away. As he walked, the Number Two headband fell from his forehead and was blown away by the wind. Her disbelief became mixed with anger as she sat up and stared at him.

"What the hell?" she snapped. Her cries made him stop and glance back at her. "Why didn't you kill me? The Afro Samurai never shows mercy. He cuts down all those in his path and slays anyone who dares to challenge him, no matter who they are." Her eyes widened in realization. "Wait, are you pitying me? Is that why you didn't kill me?" Her fury returned full force. "After everything you've done, now you're pitying me? Why, because I'm the last of your family? That's never stopped you before. Have you gone soft over the years? It's a bit late for that. I told you that I'd never forgive you." She retrieved her sword and pointed it at him. "If you don't kill me, I'll definitely kill you. I won't stop until either you or I are dead."

Afro silently stared at her for a few moments before turning to face her fully. He was never one to talk things over, preferring to simply use his sword. But he looked different now. He looked tired, defeated, and his eyes looked sad. "I didn't kill your mother."

Kinko's eyes widened in stunned disbelief. "What?" Then she looked angry once more. "You actually have the nerve to deny it?"

Afro sighed and looked up at the sky. "I killed a lot of people, some good, some bad. I killed so many that I can't even remember most of them." He looked back at her. "But your mother was not one of them." He closed his eyes. "Nevertheless, her death _is_ my fault. I was the one that failed to protect her."

Ninja Ninja tapped him on the shoulder. "Hey, Afro, man, talkin' to her won't work. Them brothers been convincin' her that you're the bad guy for 36 years. You really think she's gonna listen to you over them?"

Afro ignored him and opened his eyes to look at his daughter once more. "Your mother chose me over her clan when they sent her to kill me. I never asked her to, but she did. I was going to take her with me, but Brother 2 killed her for her betrayal. I buried her body myself."

Kinko was shaking with suppressed rage. "What nonsense! You expect me to believe that? I know you killed her!"

In response, Afro stabbed his sword into the ground and then, shockingly, released his hold on the Number One headband, letting it fall to the ground as if it were a useless piece of garbage. Then he reached into his pocket and pulled something out.

He tossed the object at Kinko and it landed at her feet. Cautiously, she reached down to pick it up without taking her eyes off her father. The object he had thrown to her was a comb. It looked as if it had been broken to pieces and put back together as much as possible.

"It was your mother's." Afro told her. "I kept it as a token to remember her by after she died." He hesitated for a moment. "If there was ever a woman I loved, or ever could have loved, it was her."

Kinko's grip on the comb tightened to the point where it dug into her palm so hard and so deep that it drew blood. "I… I don't… believe you…"

"I'm not trying to get you to believe me. I told you what happened. You decide what to believe. I'm done." He sat down cross-legged with his hands in his lap and closed his eyes. Aside from his sword buried point first in the ground next to him, he was defenseless, and completely open to attack. "Do as you please."

As Ninja Ninja began shouting to Afro that this was a bad idea, Brother 7 came up behind Kinko. "Well, what are you waiting for? This is your chance. You've got a free shot, take your revenge."

He waited a few seconds, but Kinko didn't move. His pus-oozing eyes narrowed irritably. "You're not buying those lies he's feeding you, are you? Come on, you know the truth. Don't let his words fool you. Can't you see what he's trying to do? He's trying to turn you against me. He wants you on his side so he can use you. He just wants to copy my plan. He's panning on making you side with him so you can wear the Number Two headband, then no one will be able to challenge him. Don't let him fool you."

Ninja Ninja pointed an accusing finger at the diseased old man. "That lyin' son-of-a-bitch! Everythin' that comes outta this fucker's mouth is utter bullshit!"

"Finish him now, my dear." Brother 7 continued. "Call his bluff. Put an end to him and his wicked ways. Don't allow yourself to be swayed by his lies. He just wants to use you."

His words were very convincing. The way he was able to turn a situation around in his favor was truly astonishing.

"Kill him, Kinko. I've been preparing you for this since you were a child. This is what you've been training for your whole life. All our efforts have led to this one moment."

Kinko's grip on her sword tightened to the point of pain as Brother 7's words from earlier echoed through her mind. _"The Empty Seven never shies away from doing what they need to do."_

Afro wouldn't even look at her. He remained perfectly still, and utterly defenseless.

"It's your destiny." Brother 7 insisted. "It's what you were meant to do."

Kinko's teeth clenched together so tightly that her gums began to bleed. _"We'll say and do anything, whether right or wrong, to achieve our goals."_

The Number One headband remained on the ground, not making any form of contact with Afro. Without it, anyone could kill him right now. She didn't even need the Number Two headband.

"We gave you life for this very purpose. Without us, you never would have been born. You'd be nothing more than some DNA rotting in your mother's womb."

Kinko's body began to shake as her inner turmoil reached its boiling point. _"Lying, cheating, stealing, killing, they're just words meant to hinder us."_

Afro was quick, Kinko knew this, but so was she. If she went for a killing blow, Afro wouldn't be able to retrieve his sword and block her attack in time.

"Finish what you started. Avenge those of the Empty Seven that fell to this man. Put an end to him."

Angry tears crept into Kinko's eyes. It took all her strength to hold them back. _"Using and manipulating others is one of the many skills we've adapted."_

Images swam through her head. The things she's seen and heard the Empty Seven do over the years were permanently stained in her mind. She had been disgusted and appalled by it all, but she had tolerated it, all for the sake of revenge.

"Finish him off. Make him pay for what he's done. This is your chance."

Her heart was pounding so hard in her chest it felt like it would burst right out. She could actually hear every beat like the sound of thunder. _"People are just tools for us to use in order to do this."_

Afro's body was completely relaxed. He had truly resolved himself to his fate. Whatever happened to him next would be entirely up to her.

"Do it now, Kinko! End the Afro Samurai!"

Her breathing became erratic, her whole body tense, ready to react before her mind caught up with her. _"And who better to kill the Afro Samurai than his own flesh and blood?"_

Brother 7 held up his hand in a commanding gesture. "KILL HIM!"

Kinko's eyes flashed violently. "Shut," her grip on her sword shifted, "your," her hold tightened, "damn," she whirled around, "mouth!"

Her sword cut through the air. It happened so fast that he didn't even see it coming. Kinko's sword came up diagonally, cutting straight through him from his hip to just under his armpit. His body was so rotten and decayed that her sword sliced through him easier than a knife cutting through warm butter.

Kinko's eyes shined with unshed tears as she glared furiously as the diseased old man. "Lying bastard!"

When the pain settled in, Brother 7 slowly became aware of what had happened. He took in Kinko's current posture, and the position of her arms and sword. His eyes widened in realization as the pain of having his body severed surpassed the constant agony of his rotten flesh. His mouth dropped open and a mouthful of blackish gloppy blood flew out, splattering against the curtain hanging around him from his hat.

Slowly, his severed upper torso fell forward as gravity took affect. His lower body fell the other way, the two halves hitting the ground with a sickening _splat_. Shriveled black organs and other rotten entrails flowed out, his thick dark blood poisoning the very ground it spilled up.

"Oh, shit, man!" Ninja Ninja cried in surprise. "She killed him!"

Afro's eyes opened as he surveyed the scene before him. Kinko was backing away from Brother 7's remains so she wouldn't be infected by any of the airborne diseases he might have. She had actually gone and struck him down. He hadn't been sure what she would do. He had fully expected and been ready to die, but Kinko had seen past Brother 7's cruel deception. Perhaps, deep down, she had always known the truth. No, more likely, it was the fact that the Empty Seven would actually resort to such measures was so believable that Kinko hadn't realized how obvious it was until the truth had been revealed to her.

On the ground, Brother 7 was fading fast. It hurt, yes, but the pain was soon giving way to a numbing sensation that was quickly spreading throughout his entire body. With it, the pain of his rotting flesh began to fade away as well. For the first time since he could remember, he was no longer in any pain. He'd forgotten what it was like not to hurt anymore.

With the loss of his pain came a moment of renewed strength and he found his voice. "Kuma, kill them! Kill them both! Make it slow and painful! I want them to suffer! Then take the Number One headband and destroy all within your path until you cease to function!"

More blood flew from his mouth, causing him to choke on it. Then his eyes glazed over and rolled up into his misshapen head, and he was gone.

At the same time, both Afro and Kinko's gaze shot in Kuma's direction. The bear-headed android was staring at the two of them, having received his orders. In his hand, he held the Number Two headband that had fallen from Afro's head and carelessly been forgotten about.

**(A/N: There you have it, Kinko's messed up past revealed. This idea actually didn't come from me. I was going through some post at the iMDB website of **_**Afro Samurai **_**and someone posted the theory of Afro and Otsuru having a child this way. And that's what gave me the idea for this story. Anyway, back to the story, the truth has finally been revealed, and Kinko has turned on Brother 7. But his final words were orders to Kuma to kill her and Afro, and then to destroy everything in his path. Will father and daughter be able to take down the powerful android?)**


	11. Chapter 11: Revenge At Last

**(A/N: I'm sorry, I know this was is rather late. Things come up and stuff, so I kept getting delayed. But I've got a nice sized chapter for you. Enjoy.)**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

**Chapter 11: Revenge At Last**

Kinko's sword came up, pointing at Kuma. Afro was also on his feet again, the Number One headband in one hand and his sword in the other. Kuma's gaze was locked on both of them, but the blank unmoving face didn't reveal which one of them he was actually looking at.

Gripping the Number Two headband, he tied it around his large head. Then he went back to staring at them. Both Afro and Kinko were ready, but Kuma made no move for either one of his swords. Then, quick as lightning, his golden arm, courtesy of Brother 1, turned into a gun. At the same time, it shot up and fired the moment the change was complete.

Blood sprayed out and Kinko cried out in pain as the bullet hit her, and she went down. Afro's gaze was immediately drawn to her, his eyes widening in shock at her fallen form.

There was no time. His gaze shifted back to Kuma. The android's full attention was now on him. A few seconds passed and then, almost as if a bell to begin the battle had been rung, both moved at the same time. Afro took off as Kuma pointed his gun at him and began firing rapidly.

Afro kept running as bullets zoomed past him. He kept going, making sure to keep his movements random so the android couldn't lock on to him or read his moves. Bullets were deadly, but Kuma could only have a limited amount of them.

A few bullets managed to graze his arms, legs, and sides, but Afro successfully managed to avoid the barrage. When the last shot was fired, and the _click_ sound of empty ammunition was heard, Afro rushed towards the robot, swinging his sword.

With his left arm still in gun form, Kuma's other one quickly unsheathed one of his broadswords and blocked Afro's attack. His other arm changed back to normal and grabbed his second sword, swiping at the samurai.

Afro jumped backwards a safe distance, avoiding the attack. The two stared at each for a few moments. Slowly, Afro held up the Number One headband and tied it around his forehead. This was now an official match between the Number One and the Number Two.

Ninja Ninja hurried over to Afro's side. "Yo, Afro, man, I don't know about you, but I am not likin' these odds. Both Afro-Droid and Jinno nearly diced your ass. This dude is both them mutha fuckas put together. How the hell you expect ta beat him?"

Even though he knew it was a rookie mistake, Afro's eyes left his opponent to instinctively rest on Kinko's fallen form. She lay bleeding on the ground, her only movement being the rise and fall of her chest to indicate that she was still alive.

"You got more important things ta worry about." Ninja Ninja told him. "You won' be able ta help her if this here robo-bear-dude kills you. Don't get distracted."

Kuma rushed at him. Afro caught one blade with his sword and had to dodge the second one. He made his own swipe, but it was easily blocked and he still needed to avoid the second blade coming down at him.

He jumped back and then rushed forward again, swinging his swords up in an X pattern, catching Afro's blade between the two. One of Kuma's large round eyes rolled up to reveal a mechanical device. Staring at the metal eye, Afro realized what was coming a moment before it did, pulling back just as a laser was shot at him.

He shifted to the side as the beam of red light flew past him. In the process, he slammed the bottom of his sword into Kuma's large head, making the laser fly wild, cutting through anything in its path. As he stumbled, one of swords swiped at him, cutting Afro across the stomach.

With a painful grunt, Afro stepped back as blood poured down his legs. It wasn't that deep, but he didn't have time to dwell on it as Kuma fell upon him again. Afro kept stepping back as Kuma advanced on him, his blades swinging wildly.

"Come on, Afro!" Ninja Ninja shouted to him. "You can't just keep defendin' and retreatin'. This thing's an android. It's not gonna get tired. You gotta go on the offense and take it out before _you_ get too worn out."

"Shut up." Afro grunted.

But he took his imaginary friend's advice anyway and went on the attack. Kuma easily blocked the blow and stabbed forward with his other sword. Afro quickly pulled back and knocked the oncoming blade aside, then had to immediately bring his sword up again to defend against another attempt on his life.

Jinno had been right, having two swords in battle, enabling the wielder to both attack and defend at the same time, really was an affective fighting style. It wasn't unbeatable, but that was up against another person; in the hands of this super robot, it might be.

Kuma's mouth suddenly dropped open and a rocket shot out. Afro jumped away and leaned back as far as he could go, allowing the rocket to just barely fly over him. Before he could rise up again, Kuma was in his line of vision, leaping down towards him.

Afro let gravity pull him down while rolling to the side, and Kuma's blades stabbed into the ground where he had been. He turned the roll into a leap and jumped away, but not before Kuma pulled a blade free and swung at him. The sword cut into Afro's back as he leapt away, drawing a grunt of pain from him.

Ignoring the pain, he jumped away from Kuma, landing over by Kinko's fallen form. He wanted to attend to her, but he couldn't worry about her right now. Ninja Ninja may not have been real, but he was right; he wouldn't be of any use to his daughter if Kuma killed him.

His daughter. Damn, that was still difficult for him to wrap his mind around.

Snatching up her sword, he charged at Kuma as the android rushed towards him. The two swords he now wielded were meant to be used by holding one with both hands, but he had to improvise. Though he'd fought Jinno's double sword technique while having only one himself before, this new super robot was faster, stronger, and far more skilled. In order to beat him, Afro would also need to be able to attack and defend at the same time.

Their blades clashed together loudly, their movements so fast that they would have appeared as a blur to even the most skilled warrior. But as fast as Afro was, Kuma was much faster. Even with both swords, he barely had time to block the android's attacks, let alone time to go on the attack himself. And Kuma's blades still managed to find marks all over Afro's body.

Covered in cuts and bleeding badly, Afro managed to catch Kuma's blades as they came down. That's when Kuma's chest suddenly opened up and a large familiar cannon-like laser gun protruded from his torso.

"Shit, Afro!" Ninja Ninja cried. "That there's that super gun beam thing Afro-Droid tried to use on you!"

Afro barely heard him as he saw the laser-cannon power up, much faster than he remembered. With no time to dodge, he jumped straight up. An enormous beam of energy erupted from the laser-cannon like an explosion, evaporating all in its path as it vanished in the distance.

The moment the beam of energy was finished firing, the laser-cannon retracted back into Kuma's body and he jumped up to join Afro in the air. As Afro came down, Kuma came up. Their swords clanged together as they crossed paths, the force of Kuma's blow knocking Afro back.

While they were still in the air, Kuma held his arms out and his hands were ejected by rockets, remaining connected to his wrists by a metal cable. Still gripping the swords, the two hands flew towards Afro. He knocked away one flying hand and then the other, and Kuma's hands retracted back onto his wrists.

Afro landed first, Kuma soon following. Jets ignited in Kuma's heels, launching him towards Afro. The samurai barely had time to hold up his swords in an X pattern to defend against Kuma's blades before the android slammed into him. The rockets in his feet kept pushing Kuma along, forcing Afro back as well until they slammed into a rock wall, ripping an agonized grunt of pain from Afro.

Somehow, Kuma managed to stick his blades into the X pattern of Afro's swords and snap his arms apart. Suddenly, he tossed his two broadswords high up in the air. He grabbed one of Afro's hands and twisted it back. Afro grunted in pain as the sword fell from his hand. Then, before he could react, Kuma spun around and slammed his metal elbow into Afro's other hand, making him drop that sword as well.

Kuma quickly snatched the two swords Afro had dropped before they even hit the ground. With rapid hand movements, he now held both swords and stabbed forward. Each blade pierced one of Afro's palms, pinning his hands to the wall. Afro now stood in a crucified pose with his bleeding hands impaled by the swords.

All this happened before Kuma's own swords came back down after being tossed into the sky, and Kuma quickly snatched them out of the air as they came down. He performed some fancy sword movements before pointing his blades at Afro, seemingly ready to move in for the kill.

"Yo, Afro!" Ninja Ninja shouted. "Shit, man, you better do somethin' or this guy's gonna run ya through!"

Afro had figured that much out on his own. Gritting his teeth, he pushed his hands forward, down the length of the blades. His palms slammed into and closed around the ends with such force that the blades were pulled from the wall they were buried in.

Realizing that his prey had gotten free, Kuma swiped at him, but Afro jumped up and over his head, dodging the attack. When he landed and turned to face Kuma again, he bit the grip of one of his swords to keep it steady as he slid his hand down and off the blade. He repeated the process with the other one, and he was once again wielding two swords, only now his hands were crippled.

"Not yet." He whispered.

Kuma cocked his head to the side, seeming to consider his opponent. Then he sped towards the samurai once more, his swords swinging around. Afro struggled to keep up with his movements as he defended against Kuma's attacks, something that proved to be more difficult with his hand injuries.

Kuma forced him back further and further. Finally, the cutting part of his blade clashed against the flat side of one of Afro's swords. Kuma's other sword came down on the other flat side of Afro's sword, the cutting parts of the two blades striking on both sides of Afro's. Metal cut through metal, and Afro was left with a broken sword containing barley two inches of metal protruding from the handle.

Now with only one sword once again, Afro made to cut Kuma in half while both swords were pointing away from him. But Kuma let go of one of his swords, his hand reaching out to catch Afro's blade before the blow could come. He swung his other sword, the blade cutting through flesh.

Afro's eyes widened in shock and pain as his right arm was severed from his body. He immediately received more pain as Kuma suddenly fell to his knees and scooped up the sword he had dropped and used it to slash Afro across the chest in a shower of blood. He stabbed with his other sword, cutting into Afro's hip, but fortunately, not through it.

This new injury caused Afro to lose his balance. Wobbling, he ended up with his back to Kuma. The android leapt to his feet and swung his blade, cutting deeply into Afro's back, sending blood spraying everywhere.

"AFRO!" Ninja Ninja cried.

Afro didn't seem to hear him as he fell to his knees. His eyes were glazed over in shock from the pain, his mind completely blank. Kuma calmly walked around him until they were facing each other once more. Afro looked up at him with unfocused eyes, and Kuma stared back. For a few moments, neither moved, then Kuma suddenly stabbed forward, his blade burying into Afro's chest.

Afro's eyes widened, the agony of being stabbed shocking him out of his unfocused state. Slowly, he looked down at the blade buried in his chest, then up at Kuma, who stared down at him with that ever-present blank expression on his teddy bear face.

It seemed that whatever bit of Jinno that still remained inside Kuma had finally gotten its revenge.

(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)

The force of the impact from the bullet hitting her had briefly knocked her out, but the pain of her injury soon pulled her out of the depths of unconsciousness. As her eyes cracked open, the full amount of her pain hit her, waking her up completely with a painful gasp. She fought down the pain as she struggled to sit up, her clothes sticking to her body from the blood seeping from her wound.

Her eyes were automatically drawn to movement in her peripheral vision. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw her father on his knees, bleeding profoundly from numerous wounds, especially from the stump where his right arm once was. Suddenly, her own pain didn't seem that bad as she spotted his severed arm on the ground next to his feet, still gripping his sword. In front of him stood Kuma, his back to Kinko. He suddenly stabbed forward, his blade burying into Afro's chest.

"Fath-" Kinko instinctively made a move towards them and collapsed again as pain raced through her body, her hand going up to cover the bleeding area of her shoulder where she had been shot.

She immediately began searching for a weapon. She spotted her broken sword lying on the ground a distance away, and her whip was out of reach.

Kuma suddenly pulled his sword out of Afro's chest, sending a shower of blood flying everywhere. Then he held his swords out in an X form, the two blades crossing beneath Afro's chin, easily capable of taking his head off with a single swipe.

With an enraged cry, Kinko forced herself to her feet and stumbled towards them. She jumped onto Kuma's back, latching onto him. The android attempted to shake her off, ignoring Afro for the moment. Kinko held on tightly until Kuma's hard metal elbow slammed into her gut, knocking her off him.

The glazed look faded from Afro's eyes as he came back to himself. As he began to regain focus, he saw Kuma standing over him. The android raised his sword to end it.

As the blade came down, it suddenly froze a few inches from Afro's face. A spark of electricity ran across Kuma's body and a trail of smoke began to rise from him as a wire came loose from inside him, momentarily short-circuiting his system.

Behind him, Kinko sat up, the Number Two headband held tightly in her hand after having snatched it off Kuma's head in the struggle. And as long as Afro wore the Number One and Kuma was without the Number Two, he couldn't touch him, hence the reason for his short-circuiting.

Afro's remaining hand reached for his sword, pulling it free from his dismembered arm's grasp. He stabbed forward, his blade piercing Kuma's metal body. Gritting his teeth, Afro got to his feet, slicing his blade upward as he did so.

The blade exited out of the top of Kuma's head. The left side of Kuma's teddy bear head fell off, spilling out clear green fluid. With it came pieces of Jinno's brains that had been preserved, along with a few other organic parts that had been needed to keep the brain functioning.

Attached to the brain was a copy of the data chip from Afro-Droid, which seemed to have been fused with the flesh. Afro's foot came down, crushing both the chip and what remained of Jinno's brain, ensuring that neither would ever come back or be used again.

Breathing heavily as he struggled to stay on his feet, he limped over to Kinko. She looked up at him as he stood over her, neither one sure what to say to the other. Lacking an arm, Afro tossed his sword aside and held out his hand to help her up. She hesitated a moment before reaching up and grasping his hand.

As their hands locked together, a persistent beeping sound caught their attention. They looked back at Kuma's remains to see a small light inside his split open chest flashing along with every beep. Both Afro and Kinko's eyes widened as they realized what it was. Ninja Ninja's cry of "It's a bomb!" was unnecessary as the beeps began getting faster and the light started flashing more frequently.

Kinko attempted to get to her feet, only to collapse again. Afro's grip on her hand tightened and, using the last of his strength, he flung her through the air away from him. Kuma's body exploded, the flames burning against Afro's back and the shockwaves sending him flying. He slammed into a stone pillar and slid to the ground.

"FATHER!" Kinko shouted.

She had been thrown a safe enough distance away from the blast, and now she forced herself to her feet and walked on wobbly legs over to where Afro was. Ignoring the pain in her shoulder, she bent down and propped him up against the pillar.

"Father?" she whispered.

Afro's eyes cracked open. His vision was blurry, but he could make out Kinko's features. She really did look like a dark-skinned version of her mother. How had he not seen it before?

His eyelids felt heavy, and he was so very tired. But he couldn't die like this; it would count as a kill, not a natural death since his near-death, made worse from the blast, had come from Kuma. The power of the Number One headband would endure if he died now, and he couldn't allow it. But death had a tight grip on him and was refusing to let go.

He blinked several times, trying to get his eyes to focus, but his vision was getting worse. He could make out Kinko's blurry outline, but behind her, crystal clear, stood Ninja Ninja, smoking a joint. "You on your way out, Afro. You know what you gotta do."

Yes, he knew. He didn't like it, but he knew what needed to be done. As his father had told him, once he had decided to put an end to the Number One headband's power, it was his duty to see that it was done, or to pass it on to someone else that could finish the job. And Kinko had already worn both the Number One and the Number Two headbands. Her destiny was bound to them now whether she, or he, wanted them to be. That was the curse that came with the legendary headbands.

With the last of his strength, he reached up and pulled off the Number One headband. With his hand shaking, he held it out to his daughter, who stared down at it in surprise.

"End… it…" he managed to get out. He wanted to say more, but he had nothing left. His hand went limp and fell to his side as his eyes closed one last time.

Kinko wasn't sure how long she sat there by his side. It could have been minutes or hours, or perhaps just a few brief seconds, or maybe even a few days. Eventually, her gaze slowly shifted from his face down to the Number One headband. With trembling hands, she picked it up.

For a long while, she just stared at it. So much bloodshed had come from this piece of cloth. She just couldn't understand it. Was it really worth all this violence to obtain the power of God?

What she did understand was why her father asked this of her. She could always just leave it here, but she knew that there was no escape from the headbands of legend. Somehow, someway, they would come back into her life; she'd never be able to be free of them. But she could pick up where her father left off and put an end to these damn headbands once and for all.

She was vaguely aware of a small voice in the back of her head telling her not to do it, but she ignored the voice and tied the Number One headband around her head.

"Oh, man," said the voice in her head, "there goes the neighborhood."

She didn't even notice as a gust of wind blew the Number Two headband off and away from Mount Shumi.

**(A/N: That's the end of the Afro Samurai. A rather tragic end for him, but that's the fate of everyone involved with the headbands of legend. But his legacy lives on. Now it's up to Kinko to finish what he started and put an end to the headbands, if she can. By the way, did anyone notice how at the end, just before Kinko put on the Number One headband, she heard a voice in her head that said the exact same thing Ninja Ninja said to Afro before he put on the Number Two. That was to continu the mystery of whether Ninja Ninja was really part of Afro's mind or if he was actually something more. You decide. The last chapter is coming out next, so look forward to it.)**


	12. Epilogue

**(A/N: I think this is the longest time it's taken me to release an epilogue. Work has been real time consuming and I haven't had any time to write. I was really debating on how I should end this chapter, but finally came to a decision. I hope it's to your liking.)**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

**Epilogue**

After many years, he had finally made it here. It had been a long, violent, and bloody road, but the current Number Two had at last reached the top of Mount Shumi. Now all he had to do was defeat the Number One, and then he would be the greatest warrior in the world.

He made his way over to the Number One's dwelling and opened the doors. Entering the throne room, from where the Number One was said to govern the whole world, he saw the current ruler sitting on the throne, waiting for him.

He hadn't been sure what to expect, but certainly not this. He thought that there would be some super powerful amazing warrior waiting for him, but, instead, he was greeted by an old woman who looked like she was in her late 80's. Yet she had the Number One headband tied around her forehead, indicating that she was the one he was searching for.

He pulled out his weapon of choice, a sickle attached to a chain, and began twirling it around. "I am Yatsumari, the current Number Two warrior of the world, and I've come to challenge you for the title of Number One."

The old woman stared at him for a few moments before rising. "I am Kinko, the current Number One. It's been a long time since I've had a challenger."

It had been a while, over ten years in fact. Since putting on the Number One headband all those years ago, she'd had three challengers. This Yatsumari person would be her fourth and, hopefully, her last, one way or another. She'd actually been hoping to kick the bucket before another challenger appeared, but it seemed that Fate was throwing her one last opponent before she could take the power of the Number One to the grave.

Reaching down, she unsheathed her father's sword with one hand and uncoiled her whip with the other. "Alright, lets do this."

The battle that took place proved why even in her old age, she was known as the Number One warrior of the world.

(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)

Hundreds of thousands of years later, when archaeologists found their way to the top of Mount Shumi and managed to break into the throne room, they found the fossilized skeletal remains of a person that had grown onto the throne over the years with a withered and worn out headband tied around their forehead, labeling them as the Number One warrior of the world.

The details had been lost to history over time. No one ever found out the Number One's identity.

**THE END**

**(A/N: My story has come to an end. What I was debating on was whether or not I should end things before or after the chapter break Should I have left the fight as a cliffhanger to the story and let the reader decide if the headbands' powers were ever put an end to, or was it better to give closure and reveal that the headbands' power eventually were vanquished. In any case, I decided to leave the last Number One's identity as a mystery. Was it Kinko, or was she defeated and someone else was the final Number One? That is for you to decide.)**


End file.
